At Peoples Church, our membership represents a wide range of income levels, family structures, educational attainment, religious backgrounds and theological orientations. We are proud to be a Welcoming Congregation and begin each Sunday service with a statement extending welcome to all those interested in joining our search, regardless of age, race, or sexual orientation or other barriers that may separate people wrongly.
Theologically most of us are in the Unitarian-Universalist mainstream. Sixty percent of us see ourselves as non-theistic humanists. Twenty percent claim to be mainstream liberal Christians, and others associate with a variety of non theistic beliefs, mainly earth-centered. Several non-Christian theists, including Jews and Muslims, associate themselves with Peoples. At times it must be a formal conundrum to please us all and yet connect authentically. And yet, our diversity is our strength. Our content is broad, our talents many, and our curiosity compassionate.
Volunteerism and social action have been associated with Peoples for many years. Our representation on volunteer boards and social action committees far outweighs our numbers in relation to the larger community. Much of this work is done on our members’ private initiative, but our Values in Action committee is extremely involved and has bridged Peoples to the wider world again and again.
Peoples, like many UU churches, is a collection of diverse and sometimes strong-minded individuals. We can, however, come together and erect structures in language that speak strongly for us all. In 1997, while working through the UUA Decisions for Growth program, we discovered our congregational mission and put it into words:
“Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist stands as an open, democratic and vital community for all. We encourage the questioning mind, nurture spiritual growth, and promote justice and caring among our members and in the wider world.”
We print these words in each Order of Service; we stand by these words today.
January 16, 2005
