Unitarian Universalist
Congregation Q&A
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The Sunday service is at the center of our life as a Congregation. This is a sacred time for us as we gather to reflect on the values that we share, to rejoice in the goodness and beauty of life, and to consider the challenges that we face as individuals and as members of the global community. The topics that are addressed in our services vary widely, but the themes of love, hope, compassion and action in the world are lifted up through words, music, and growing connections within the Congregation. Before we get into the specifics concerning our Congregation, here are two URLs that might be useful to you if you are a novice regarding Unitarian Universalism:
Following the links below takes you to the answers of the questions. Use your browser return arrow to get back to the list.
If you want to know about our past, here is our Congregation History. When Do You Hold Services? We have a single service, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 11:15 a.m. Following the service, we have coffee and conversation. What do people wear? Most of our friends and members dress in casual clothes although it’s not uncommon to see sports jackets and dresses. Summertime brings out the shorts and sandals. Our children also wear a range of styles from dresses to jeans. Don’t feel that you or your children must “dress up” to fit in. Most of us prefer comfort to style! Where does one park? We have ample parking with a number of designated handicapped spaces in the area close to the building. Our parking lot is accessed from a driveway off of Gladewood. Please note the sign warning of a drainage dip in the driveway, and drive slowly! Is there someone to help us find where we need to go? As you approach our building you will be greeted by someone from the congregation who will offer you a nametag and help you with any questions. Once you’re in the building another greeter will welcome you and ask you to sign the guest book. This is simply for our own information and while we encourage you to share a little information (name, address, etc.), it’s not required. The greeter will give you a small packet that contains information about our congregation, our staff, and Unitarian Universalism. You will also find a copy of our latest newsletter which includes a calendar of events and activities. If you bring children with you, a family greeter who is familiar with our programs for children and youth will help you find the right rooms and provide you with a visitor’s form What is the service like? Each services runs about an hour and follows the following format:
Our minister, Rev. Christine Brownlie is in the pulpit three times a month. A guest speaker or someone from the congregation will offer a sermon when Rev. Brownlie is not speaking. On occasion we have an intergenerational service when the children participate with the adults. You can find out what is happening on any given Sunday by looking at the Sunday service calendar. What kind of music is used in the service? We enjoy a wide variety of music in the course of our services. On any given Sunday you will hear our talented pianist play a piece from a classical composer, a jazz tune, something from a musical or a movie theme, or a waltz that he composed. We have a growing choir directed by Goldie Terrell. Again, diversity is the rule and the choir sings music from a range of traditions and composers. Many of the hymns that are used in the service will sound familiar to you, but the words represent our Unitarian Universalist values and beliefs. What will my children do? Children and parents sit together for the first 15 minutes of the service. We provide free optional childcare for infants and young toddlers while parents attend the service. After the Story for All Ages, the children are “sung out” and go with their teachers to their classrooms. Parents may accompany their children to the classroom and then return to the meeting hall for the remainder of the service. To learn more about our Religious Education programs click on this link. May my child stay with me during the service? Yes, although we ask parents to be thoughtful of those sitting around them, particularly our elders who may have difficulty hearing. If your baby or young child is fussy, you are welcome to use our “cuddle room” which has a window and a speaker so that you can see and hear the service. What is the meaning of the flame of community and the chalice? The ritual of kindling a flame in a chalice at the beginning of the service is common to many Unitarian Universalist congregations. The flame in our chalice symbolizes the light of truth, the equality between the congregation and the minister in matters of faith, and our concern for all people everywhere. To learn more about the history of this Unitarian Universalist symbol, please read this pamphlet: The Flaming Chalice. What are the candles of remembrance and healing? This is a ritual that we incorporated into our service after the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007. Many of our members find that it is meaningful and comforting to light a candle in remembrance of a loved one, as an expression of hope in a time of difficulty, or an expression of gratitude in a time of joy. What is the sermon reflection time? Unitarian Universalists value the “freedom of the pulpit” which allows our minister and other speakers to offer their own ideals and opinions. We also uphold the “freedom of the pew”. This means that the people sitting in the congregation have the right to their own ideas and opinions as well. The time of reflection offers an opportunity for sharing thoughts and feelings about the sermon topic and to invite a response from the speaker and other members of the congregation. We see this as a time for open-minded and open-hearted sharing — not a time for debate. Is the UUC Meeting House accessible to people with physical challenges? Yes. Anyone who has difficulty with stairs should use the entrance facing the garden at the back of the building. The building is equipped with a system for those who require hearing devices. Large-print hymnals and large-print orders of service are also available. Is your minister available to do weddings for non members or same-sex couples? Our minister is happy to meet with any couple who are considering a wedding or ceremony of union. She has been active in the movement for equal marriage rights for all couples and has officiated at a number of same-sex ceremonies. Here is her e-mail address. Does the minister preach from the bible? Unitarian Universalists draw from many sources for their religious expression, and the Bible is one of those sources. We understand the Bible as a compilation of books written over thousands of years by people from a variety of cultures, perspectives, and understandings of life. While we respect this sacred text, we disagree with those who claim that it is the inerrant word of God. What do Unitarian Universalists believe? Our Unitarian Universalist traditions are rooted in the Protestant Reformation, but we are the heretical root of that very large tree. The early Unitarians denied the doctrine of the Trinity as being unbiblical. The early Universalists believed that God’s love was so encompassing that in the end of time all of creation would be reconciled to God. Today we emphasize the unity of life and the connections between the great religions of the world and the wisdom they offer us. To find out more about our beliefs go to this site at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). To find out if you might be a Unitarian Universalist, go to this site. “In Voices of a Liberal Faith, members and ministers share their thoughts on worship and fellowship, explain the goals of religious education, explore the historic roots of our religion, and celebrate the spirit of social justice that inspires our faith.” This quote is from a UUA Web site talking about a new (2008) video. A sermon by one of our guest ministers provide useful background reading on what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist: An Elevator Speech, presented on July 16, 2006, by The Rev. Bill Gupton, Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also recommended is a podcast of the sermon: The Heart of Unitarian Universalism, presented by Rev. Christine Brownlie on January 10, 2010. The talkback following the sermon is included in the podcast. What do UUs believe about Jesus? Most Unitarian Universalists understand Jesus as a prophet and teacher in keeping with the rabbinical tradition of his time. We honor him for the example of his life, and his demand that we base our lives in love for all people and a passion for justice. Like most Americans, we celebrate Christmas and Easter, but our own understanding of these holy days is different from what is taught in more traditional Christian churches. Please tell me about the UU ceremonies: Child Dedication and Coming of Age.
What holidays during the year do UUs celebrate?
Is the UUC on Facebook and twitter? Yes. You will find our page by searching for “Blacksburg Unitarian Universalist” or go directly to our url. Also, one can follow the UUC on Twitter. Does the UUC have one or more listservs? The UUC maintains two listservs: one for communications on topics specific to the UUC, and one on broader social-concern topics. Announcement listserv: The Congregation maintains an e-mail listserv for communicating between newsletters. It is a helpful and speedy way of broadcasting late-breaking news, announcements, and requests from and for our members and friends. Anyone with access to e-mail may subscribe to this list. Just send us an e-mail message saying you want to be put on the list. If you wish to send a message to be posted to the list, send the message to announce@uucnrv.org. Messages do not go directly to the list: there is a list moderator. We are very aware that many people feel inundated by e-mail, so messages are forwarded to the listserv only if they are directly relevant to the Congregation. (No attachments are sent through this listserv.) Social-Concerns Listserv (UUC-SC): This is an un-moderated listserv with the purpose of facilitating discussion among members and friends of the UUC on current social issues. Views expressed are those of the posters as individuals and should not be interpreted as representing the views of the UUC. Those persons with differing views or loyalties to the ones expressed in this e-mail message are invited — and encouraged — to participate in the discussion. In keeping with the IRS regulations for tax-exempt organizations, postings to this listserv should not include statements of support for any political candidate. This is a closed listserv, in that only those who have subscribed to it can post, and one can only post a message using the same e-mail address given at the time of subscribing. (Making it a closed listserv was necessary to get rid of spam.) uuc-sc@uucnrv.org is the address to use when posting messages. To subscribe to UUC-SC, send a message to imailsrv@uucnrv.org, and the body of the message should have the single line: (where you replace XXXX with your name). To unsubscribe from UUC-SC, send a message to the same address. The body of the message should have the single line: How can members and friends contribute financially to the UUC? The uUC has an annual pledge drive in the Spring to raise money to
support our mission (staff salaries, building mortgage payments, dues to our
national organization, operating expenses like heating, cleaning,
publications, etc). Our parent organization, the Unitarian Universalist
Association, has prepared a “fair share” guide. People who are new
to the UUC since the most recent pledge drive but would like to contribute
to us should contact our administrator, who will direct your message to the correct person. Please explain how members and friends can help the UUC by using prepaid grocery gift cards.
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