Unitarian Universalism
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie is a diverse community of liberal religious thought that stands on the side of love and is committed to social justice. What distinguishes us from other denominations is that we adhere to no creed, dogma, or doctrine. We believe that spirituality comes from within and is not dictated by outside institutions.
While we are not governed by dogma, what joins us together are our Seven Principles , which we try to abide by in our own individual ways. These Seven Principles promote:
*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 congregation 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.
While you may not have heard of us, Unitarianism and Universalism have a rich history.
Unitarianism dates back to the sixteenth century Europe. Universalism came into full flower in late eighteenth century America. The two denominations merged in 1961. Our Erie congregation has been together since 1898. Every Sunday we share in our Bond of Union that dates back to that time.
We unite ourselves together for the study and practice of morality and religion as interpreted by the growing thought and noblest lives of humanity, believing that we may thereby prove helpful one to another, and promote and cause of truth, righteousness, and love in the world.
Our Children's Bond of Union expresses our essence.
We are Unitarian Universalists. A people of:
Open Minds
Loving Hearts
And
Welcoming Hands
Our only symbols are the flaming chalice, which represents our faith, and the Mandela, which represents the various religious traditions from which we draw wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.
Our Unitarian Universalist beliefs spring from seven sources:
*The sense of wonder we all share
*The women and men of long ago and today whose lives remind us to be kind and fair.
*The ethical and spiritual wisdom of the world's religions.
*The Jewish and Christian teachings that tell us to love all others as we love ourselves.
*The use of reason and the discoveries of science.
*The harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life.
*The faithful words and actions that shape our Unitarian and Universalist heritage.
Whether you come from a faith tradition or are non-religious, you can find a home at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie.
Sermons - All services start at 10:30am
May 6-10:30 a.m. service - “Gleanings from a Sabbatical”
Returning from his sabbatical journey
from Hawaii to Transylvania,
Rev. Steve has discovered many
new perspectives for promoting
liberal religion. He will share a brief
synopsis of his spiritual explorations
of these two wonderfully
different cultures.
Musician: Jackson Froman
Potluck lunch after the service
Hosted by the Membership Committee.
May 13- 9 a.m.—Marketplace of the Mind- “Evolution Education in US Public
Schools” presented by Jim Wise-
10:30 a.m. service -“Mother’s Day”
To start off our glorious Mother’s
Day celebration, RE will have “Muffins for Mom”. If there ever
was a Unitarian holiday, it should
be Mother’s Day. After the Civil
War in 1870, Julia Ward Howe
called for an international Mother’s
Day celebrating peace and motherhood.
This holiday in the US is
secular as opposed to Mothering Day (4th Sunday of Lent) in the
United Kingdom. Rev. Steve
invites us to come and celebrate
all the dimensions of honoring
the roles of motherhood. The
service will include the naming
ceremony for Wes Schauffele
and flower gifts from our
Children’s RE.
Musician: Jackson Froman.
May 20 -
9 a.m.—Marketplace of the Mind “A Partly Unitarian Case for
Friendly Atheism” presented by
Steve Sullivan-
10:30 a.m. service—
“Coming of Age Ceremony”
Sharing our Voices
Join us in welcoming our coming
of age students as they graduate
from the Coming of Age program.
Teens will discuss their principles
and beliefs and share their
musical talents with us.
Service coordinated by Ginny
Sabol, Children’s RE Director
May 27 -10:30 a.m. service “An Ex-Soldier's Epiphany”
Sanford Kelson, Guest Speaker
An anti-war activist since the
1970's and head of the local
Veterans for Peace (VFP) organization,
Sandy believes that his
three years of military service
have done more to educate him
than 20 years of formal education
-- 12 years of public school
then college and law
school. What did he
learn? Sandy will share his
journey with us.
After high school in Pittsburgh,
Sandy enlisted in the U.S. Army
infantry. In the past, he served
as president of the Allegheny
Center UU Church in Pittsburgh
and as national president of
VFP. Now living in Conneaut
Lake, PA, he still practices some
law and serves as a labor
arbitrator.
Service coordinated by
Al Richardson
Musician: Jackson Froman
