WELCOME
First time visitor? Start here. We are a progressive Unitarian Universalist congregation located in the city of Rochester, NY.
We covenant and affirm these 8 principles of our faith:
- 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 congregations 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;
- Journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.
Read below to learn what grounds us, and what drives our work. We’d love to have you join us.
OUR MISSION
Through spiritual connection in community, we listen deeply to others and ourselves, open to wonder and transformation and serve together with love and humility.
WE Value
Openness, Wonder, Belonging, Engagement
Our Ends
Inclusive
We are an inclusive community of belonging, welcoming all people to find their spiritual home with us:
• Caring for each other in times of joy, sorrow and transition, and
• Giving generously of our time, talent and treasure to make our vision real
CHERISH & RESPECT
We cherish and respect our children and youth, supporting their spiritual journey, and preparing them to live a life aligned with our Unitarian Universalist principles.
COmmunity justice
We act in partnership with others to end racial, social, environmental and economic injustice within our own community, in greater Rochester and the world.
Spiritual Development
We engage in spiritual growth and development:
• Providing inspiration, support and courage to explore our whole selves;
• Recognizing our racial bias and confronting its impact on our relationships and behaviors;
• Developing our ability to communicate openly and with loving kindness;
• Strengthening our spiritual connections within our own faith community and beyond
Our Ends
Inclusive
We are an inclusive community of belonging, welcoming all people to find their spiritual home with us:
• Caring for each other in times of joy, sorrow and transition, and
• Giving generously of our time, talent and treasure to make our vision real
CHERISH & RESPECT
We cherish and respect our children and youth, supporting their spiritual journey, and preparing them to live a life aligned with our Unitarian Universalist principles.
COmmunity justice
We act in partnership with others to end racial, social, environmental and economic injustice within our own community, in greater Rochester and the world.
Spiritual Development
We engage in spiritual growth and development:
• Providing inspiration, support and courage to explore our whole selves;
• Recognizing our racial bias and confronting its impact on our relationships and behaviors;
• Developing our ability to communicate openly and with loving kindness;
• Strengthening our spiritual connections within our own faith community and beyond
In pursuit of these principles, we draw wisdom from the continuously-revealed sources named below:
- Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
- Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
- Inspired wisdom from the world’s religions which helps guide us in our ethical and spiritual lives;
- Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
- Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
- Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.