We gather in love and fellowship to worship, foster spiritual growth, serve humanity, and to understand ourselves and our universe. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Greeley is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and sister congregation to 1,025 other UU religious communities in all 50 States. We cherish our ties to Unitarian Universalists all over the world, and we have deep roots in the history of Greeley, where the first Unitarian congregation was established in 1886. We celebrate our part in a tradition of 500 years of searching for religious meaning. As a people of Liberal religious faith, we strive to be a caring religious community that supports the sharing of ideas and experiences of all who travel rich and varied spiritual paths. We value diversity and affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Together we seek for ways to heal and sustain the Interdependent Web of All Existence of which we are a part. And together we seek and find the wisdom and courage to be grounded in our Seven Principles to guide us on our journey of faith. Our 7 Purposes & Principles
• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. The living tradition we share 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 that 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.
• Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
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Sunday Services begin at 10:00 a.m. Our services usually last about one hour. If you've been to a religious service in the past, you'll recognize several familiar elements in our worship. We sing hymns, we receive an offering, we listen to inspirational readings from all the world's spiritual resources, our choir sings and instrumentalists play, we take time to embrace the silence in a brief meditation, and there are prayers and a sermon. There are also some elements unique to Unitarian Universalist worship. To open our services, we light a "chalice"-a large vessel that contains a flame. This symbolizes the inner Light we each carry, and our religious vocation to share that light with the world. We also take time in each service to share our joys, concerns, and sorrows with our faith community. Those who are moved to do so are invited to share with the community, and a candle is lit to honor each sharing. We welcome everyone to our services. Come dressed in what's comfortable for you. On any given Sunday morning, folks come clad in everything from dresses to slacks and shirts. Very few men dress formally in suits and ties, and women can leave their "posh frocks" at home for a more formal occasion!
