So, a fun thing happened this week in our social media world. I uploaded a short video to Facebook, and it’s been shared over 200 times:

In terms of history, this is actually sort of a big deal, in that it represents a change in Unitarian Universalist culture. For a long time, UUs saw their churches as sort of a “bunker,” a safe place from the religiously conservative world they lived in. This was not unwarranted. In the 50s and 60s, you could be fired from your job and ostracized by your neighbors if you were suspected of being anything other than a mainstream Christian. That, combined with not wanting to subject anyone to the same religious proselytizing that they’d often been on the receiving end of, meant that UUs kept fairly quiet about their whereabouts on a Sunday morning.

The problem was that this meant Unitarian Universalism has been the best-kept secret in town. And people whose lives would be better by being part of a loving UU community have had no idea their “village” was right around the corner.

But something is shifting. More and more, I’m seeing Unitarian Universalists who are proud to say, “I’m a UU, and here’s what that means.” Doing things like sharing a graphic touting UU identity is one simple way to introduce others Unitarian Universalism.

Do you remember when you first heard about this faith? (This isn’t a rhetorical question. I’d love to know. Send me an email at minister@liveoakuu.org.)

I was born UU, but I know how my parents found it: my dad heard a Unitarian on the radio, Rev. A Powell Davies. He was saying things that made sense to my dad. Then he heard that Rev. Davies challenged Billy Graham to a debate. He really liked that!

For my parents, finding the Unitarian church meant finding their people, an intentional village in which to raise their children, develop lifelong friendships, get involved with civil rights, and continue learning themselves.

The pandemic, and what it has meant to churches, has been rough. But at Live Oak, we are back together in person. There is so much to enthuse about when you talk to your friends – an experienced Director of Faith Development bringing her new ideas and plans to LOUU, an amazing Music Director, pianist, choir, and house band, and most of all, a community of people with progressive values who will enthusiastically welcome them into this village.

Share the good news – on social media, or through good ole word of mouth!