Unitarianism

Who are the Unitarians?

We are a spiritual community who encourage you to think for yourself and to nurture your own spiritual dimension.

We believe that...

Everyone has the right to seek truth and meaning for themselves

The basic tool for this is your own life experience, your reflection upon it, your intuitive understanding and the promptings of your own conscience

The best setting for this is a community that welcomes you for what you are – beliefs, doubts, questions and all

We claim no exclusive right to knowing the truth. We do not believe that any creed, faith or individual has a monopoly on religious truth

The final authority for your faith lies within your own conscience

People should enjoy individual liberty and private judgment in their spiritual life

We are guided and inspired by:

The example and spiritual insights of others

Writings deemed “holy” and “sacred” by  many and  various faith traditions

The creative work of artists, musicians and writers

Scientific quests for knowledge and understanding

We hold important to us:

Reverence for the earth and the whole natural system of which we are part

Peace, compassion, justice and democracy in human affairs

Mutual respect and goodwill in personal relations

inter-faith dialogue – constructive tolerance and openness towards the sincerely held beliefs of others

Our roots...

Lie in the Reformation of 16th Century Europe when people started to read and Interpret the Bible for themselves.  The name Unitarian came initially from the belief in the ‘oneness’ of God  Today it reflects belief in  the divine unity of all things, of humankind and creation.

Locally we are…

A congregation who welcome people irrespective of their age, nationality, gender or sexual orientation. If we were to be defined  as having one thing in common, it is perhaps that we are people with an individualistic bent who find support in a community of like-minded spiritual individualists.

What do we do?

Our services embrace a spectrum of spiritual and religious views, including Christianity,  pre-Christian European faith (which some will call Paganism), Eastern religion, poetry, philosophy – and perhaps something one of us has read last week and found inspiring.

Our services also reflect the cycle of life – the seasons and the solstices, of birth, life and death – the world in which we are all spiritually rooted.  A Minister leads many services, but members of the congregation themselves take services and lead discussions, bringing their own insights and perspectives to share with everyone.

There is also a regular poetry group and discussion meetings where people share their own thoughts and experiences of spiritual life. There is a family service once a month, with a special group for children.

• a faith worth thinking about
• our views of earth and nature