the first universalist church of yarmouth

Unitarian Universalism – What’s a UU?

Unitarian Univeralism is a covenantal faith. We focus on the spiritual and religious journey of the individual and the family and are open to inspiration from, and exploration of, all the world’s religions and many ethical secular sources as well. We are not interested in creeds and commitments of faith, but in right relations with one another and wholistic ways of living on and with our planet. We believe in the power of love and compassion to overcome hate and fear, and we enjoy learning and worshipping with people of every ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and age, and with diverse theologies – Atheists, Buddhists, Christians, Humanists, Jews, Muslims, and Pagans – and individuals from all of these theologies can be found worshipping together in our churches and fellowships.

The Seven UU Principles

While UUs have no creed, we do have values that we use to guide our decisions. The First Universalist Church of Yarmouth affirms and promotes:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The 8th Principle

Members of the First Universalist Church of Yarmouth have joined with UU congregations around the country and have voted to endorse the spirit of the 8th principle of Unitarian Universalism.

“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

Unitarian Universalism draws from many sources.

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

These principles and sources of faith are the backbones of our religious community.

The UUA

The First Universalist Church of Yarmouth is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. The UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to Seven Principles that include the worth of each person, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs.

For a brief history of Unitarian Universalism: click here