UUA News
|
UUA: Top Stories
|
| Representing over 1,000 liberal congregations in North America. |
|
|
|
AUUF on Facebook
 Are you on Facebook?
If you're on Facebook, check out our page and become a "fan." Share links, photos, announcements, or just your thoughts. (Note: this is an open forum and content posted is the opinion of the poster, not of the church.) Not on facebook? Consider joining!
|
|
Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Mission StatementGuide to Community at AUUf
As a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) of Congregations, the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) affirms the principles of the UUA as well as our AUUF mission statement. Consistent with our principles and mission, the Committee on Ministry has developed this Guide to Community as an aid to how we, as a congregation, can co-create a welcoming and vibrant spiritual community. Ultimately, the way we treat each other reveals who and what we are as a congregation.
Members and friends of the AUUF are encouraged to become familiar with this Guide, taking to heart their role in creating community where each person can search for truth and meaning in a safe environment that builds relationships, renews spirit, and inspires action grounded in love and justice.
 To affirm a reverence for life is to:
- Recognize that I live within an interdependent web of existence, connected with other people, other species, and the natural world;
- Strive to live in a manner that meets my needs without unduly compromising the ability of others and future generations to meet their needs;
- Seek to respond with deepening sensitivity to a diverse and pluralistic world that is increasingly confronted by social, political, and environmental challenges; and
- Be willing to share these perspectives with others in thoughtful, caring ways.
To enrich my/our spiritual lives is to:
- Take seriously the liberal faith tradition of Unitarian Universalism by becoming familiar with its Seven Principles and the sources from which these are derived, recognizing that there are many ways to interpret, practice and deepen one’s spirituality;
- Seek to identify and nurture my own path of spiritual growth;
- Expand and deepen my understanding of truth by listening to and appreciating the perspectives of others; and
- Value, support, and encourage the personal and spiritual growth of myself and others.
To honor the one and the many is to:
- Honor the sanctuary during the Sunday morning worship hour as shared time and space devoted to personal and communal deepening;
- Treat others with respect, good humor, and kindness;
- Practice generosity and acceptance of people differing in age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious creed, and socioeconomic background, working to recognize and overcome our own prejudices;
- Respect and support all members of our Fellowship community, including our youth and children, seeking out their ideas and opinions;
- Share information appropriately so that decision-makers have the information they need;
- Refrain from ridiculing, attacking, or in any way invalidating others through word or deed;
- Refuse to support ridicule, attacks, or invalidation of others by my silence;
- Strive to express serious complaints and negative feelings to the person(s) involved in an effort to resolve tensions, rather than simply complaining to others in the Fellowship about another person;
- Recognize the complexity of human emotions and strive to channel my energies in a positive way;
- Strive to share my comments openly during meetings, not afterwards, and not only with those who agree with me;
- Use “I” statements, speaking forthrightly and for myself only, especially in matters of debate or controversy, avoiding hearsay, rumor, and the use of overgeneralizations such as “some people” and “everyone”;
- Understand that some degree of conflict is natural and presents an opportunity for growth;
- Deal with disagreements constructively, communicating with others in a direct, caring, and responsible manner, seeking assistance from appropriate resources when needed (minister, Committee on Ministry, Fellowship leaders, Conflict Resolution Team) to resolve tensions and disagreements, recognizing that dealing constructively with conflict is a measure of my own and the Fellowship’s well-being; and
- Respect outcomes of the democratic process, even when they do not represent my personal preferences.
To welcome a diversity of thoughts, beliefs, and passions is to:
- Acknowledge that each person has a unique path and understanding of truth, based on his or her life experience;
- Embrace the value of creating a community rich in experience, gifts, and perspectives; and
- Encourage the expression of various beliefs and points of view.
To speak without fear is to:
- Recognize my right and responsibility to speak freely to the AUUF community in appropriate forums, expressing my beliefs, feelings, concerns, and points of view respectfully; and
- Recognize that others have the same right and responsibility to express their beliefs, feelings, concerns, and points of view respectfully in the appropriate forums.
To listen with an open heart is to:
- Value the exchange of ideas in a spirit of openness and appreciation;
- Listen attentively and seek to understand the opinions, values, and life experiences of others; and
- Listen to competing ideas with respect and honest consideration.
To care for one another is to:
- Take care of the Fellowship, including its relationships, facilities and resources, as I take care of other things I value;
- Strive for balance in my personal, family, work, social, and spiritual commitments, and respect those demands in the lives of others;
- Forgive myself and others when we make mistakes;
- Notify the Congregational Support Chair and the minister regarding a member or friend of the Fellowship who may be experiencing a time of need requiring extra support;
- Show appreciation to those who work on behalf of the Fellowship;
- Contribute to the well-being of the AUUF community by sharing my time, talents, and resources as I am able and not expect others to do all the work.
To share burdens and joys is to:
- Be a source of support and caring to AUUF members and friends;
- Work with others to create a safe, supportive environment where I can ask for help, support, and love when I need to and where others can do the same;
- Be attentive to unspoken needs, recognizing that it is difficult to ask for help, support, and love;
- Strive to get to know and care for others, while respecting personal boundaries and differing comfort levels for self-disclosure;
- Be sensitive to issues of privacy and confidentiality, and when in doubt, ask permission to share information; and
- Remember that together we are creating a community of trust- worthy relationships which we can count on in times of joy and sorrow.
To celebrate life’s passages is to:
- Honor the importance of life passages and transitions by seeking ways to celebrate, support, or grieve with others the significant changes in their lives;
- Be present with others, according to their needs and wishes, at times of celebration, mourning, or other transitions, to the best of my ability; and
- Help create an environment where all feel invited to initiate or participate in the celebration of significant passages.
To bring a liberal religious presence to our larger community is to:
- Support AUUF’s involvement in the larger community;
- Strive to be a positive, articulate voice for Unitarian Universalism within the community when the occasion or opportunity arises;
- Work to establish and maintain positive relationships with other faith communities and uphold the rights of diverse religious groups within the larger community; and
- Promote interfaith efforts and projects compatible with Unitarian Universalist values and principles.
To work for a safe and just world is to:
- Strive to live a life consistent with the Principles of the UUA and the values of the AUUF Mission Statement, considering these in my response to local, regional, national, and global issues;
- Work as I am able to alleviate suffering and injustice both in the local community and the wider world; and
- Speak to those within my circle of influence of the need to protect people and other living things and to conserve natural resources.
Members of this Fellowship realize that mutual trust and support within the AUUF community are essential to the spiritual growth of us all. We recognize that to be reminded of the spirit of this document through our own review and the encouragement of others enables us to flourish in heart and spirit, which is the basis of our community. This Guide represents a commitment to:
- thoughtful, active participation in the life of this religious community;
- caring and respectful relationships with one another and guests;
- cooperative support for the minister and volunteers; and
- individual and collective contributions to the wider community.
Unitarian Universalist Principles and Purposes
WE, THE MEMBER CONGREGATIONS OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION, COVENANT TO AFFIRM AND PROMOTE:
•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.
THE LIVING TRADITION WE SHARE DRAWS FROM MANY SOURCES:
•Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, that moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life;
•Words and deeds of prophetic women and men that challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love ;
•Wisdom from the world’s religions that inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
•Jewish and Christian teaching that call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
•Humanist teachings that 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.
Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
450 East Thach Avenue
Auburn, AL 36830-0669
1st Printing - September, 2010
|
|
Upcoming Events
Mon Feb 06, 2012 @ 05:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Tai Chi |
Tue Feb 07, 2012 @ 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Yoga |
Tue Feb 07, 2012 @ 06:30 PM - 08:30 PM
Alliance for Peace and Justice |
Sun Feb 12, 2012 @ 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Potluck |
Sun Feb 12, 2012 @ 12:30 PM - 02:30 PM
AUUF Board Meeting |
Sun Feb 12, 2012 @ 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM
HB56 Forum |
Sun Feb 12, 2012 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Ethiopian Language / Amharic Class |
Mon Feb 13, 2012 @ 05:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Tai Chi |
Tue Feb 14, 2012 @ 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Yoga |
Fri Feb 17, 2012 @ 07:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Sundilla Concert - Chuck Pyle |
Other info
Auburn UU Fellowship
450 East Thach Ave.
P.O. 669
Auburn, Alabama 36831-0669
Sunday Services 10 a.m.
Children's Religious
Education 11:15 a.m.
Minister's Office Hours
Tues. and Thurs. 2-6 p.m.
or by appointment
E-mail:dallende@uuma.org
Phone: 334-501-8621
|
Technical inquiries may be directed to dcrutchley@mac.com
All material copyright © 1997-2008 Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Address of this page: http://www.auuf.org
|
|
