Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe

Unitarians first came about in the 16th Century in Great Britain. They were reformist both in religion and in politics and they did not conform to the new Anglican State. They were called "Rational Dissenters." Unitarians originally were, "Christians who did not believe in the Holy Trinity of God (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Instead, they believed in the unity, or single aspect, of God." They intellectually stressed, "rational thinking, each person's direct relationship with God, and the humanity of Jesus."

In the 1800's, the faith broadened to more of a transcendental movement with such influences as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Universalists were originally Christians who believed in universal salvation and felt that all people would one day be reconciled with God. The movement came to America in the late 1700s. They are most well known for ordaining the first woman to full denominational authority, Olympia Brown, in 1863.   

In 1961, Unitarian and Universalist denominations on the most part consolidated. Eventhough UUs originated from Christianity, today it is a non-creedal faith and most present day congregations do not identify with being Christian. There are however a few UU Christian churches and a group of Unitarians that did not merge and are today called Christian Unitarians ~ most of these churches are on the east coast and in other countries. 

UUs are very intellectual in their beliefs. They believe in working toward social justice, religious naturalism, and supporting humanitarian issues.
I attended the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe Sunday 11am service. 

God's Love embraces the Whole Human Race!

They started the service by singing hymns and then lighting the Chalice. The Chalice is the symbol of their religion and is lite at the beginning of all services. 

Before the children went off to Sunday school, they gathered at the front and were told a story. 

There was a soloist, Karen Hall, who sang during a guided meditation. For applause, the congregation uses a silent clap by shaking the hands - the same as used in sign language.  

The guest speaker was Pastor Michael Dowd, an Evolutionary Theologian who believes in marrying Christianity with Science. 

A religion that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.   - Carl Sagan

Pastor Dowd shared that God is not like a clockmaker, overseeing a project, rather he is part of this World - everything from the Wind & Ocean to you and I. He said scientific and real evidence is God's language.  

He spoke of our greatest duty during our time on Earth is to act and be a Blessing to those of the Future and by doing so you will live a life that honors God. 

They ended the service with singing, extinguishing of the chalice and then a closing benediction - members all held hands for the closing words. They then shared in fellowship after the service. 

They were very friendly to me as a newcomer. 

THANK YOU - UU of Santa Fe for allowing us to see your form of Worship.