Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness (UUPA)

A long time ago I found that the the Unitarian Universalist Association Principles and Purposes resonated with me. And I was pleased to find that the Unitarian Universalist church has a pagan section called Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS).

Within the last few days to my happy shock I found that the UUs also have an organization devoted to polyamory.

Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness (UUPA)

I list this for others who might find it useful as some UUs who are also polyamorous may not know it exists. I have not participated in as many UU events as I would like but this does further increase my good feelings towards them and their efforts to include people from so many walks of life under a compassionate message.

~Raven~
 
As a longtime passionate UU, I say YAY!!! Many of the poly people I've known in my life were through UU connections and I have heard that UUPA is growing as an organization.

GreenEarthAl on this forum is also a UU. If you want to find some good networks to get involved with, I'm sure Al or me could hook you up. I think you'd find the work they do in identity politics interesting too.
 
That is so cool Ceoli! Wow, I didn't know you were a UU.

I'd been meaning to go to the UU Church regularly before I moved this year but I never did.

I researched them like crazy before college and when I was a freshman at university. I came across them while looking for pagan groups.

I actually went, completely new to that town and catching the bus late at night, to a CUUPS meeting. They were so nice. Warm and open. I was nervous at first but that did ease after a while. When they realized I didn't have a ride home and the buses had stopped running, a few of them drove me back to my dorm on campus. (This was me, first year out of NYC in a town where the public transportation was quite noticeably unlike NYC transit).

It was a very positive experience for me and I felt a little buzzed from the energy of the ritual.

I didn't and still don't feel the UUs would clash with my spirituality, politics or any of my identities. Nevermind my slight aversion to the word "church." I feel it would be a good supplement in my spiritual path.

I would like to find a spiritual center that my love also enjoys. He is Christian and accepting of my spirituality. We've spoken about it. The United Church of Christ is another that shares many of the same views as the UUs and they are allied it seems in different places. We'll explore together which is best for us individually.

There are UU congregations where I am now (still Upstate). One even had a Solstice celebration last week. I really yearned to go but there was a holiday party at work (out of millions of holiday parties dear lord...)

I've vowed to start in January and it would be great to connect with other polys who just happen to be UUs and vice versa :D.

~Raven~
 
Ooh. I will probably look it up OR I have already come across it and forgotten but what is the General Assembly? It sounds exciting the way you write about it :)

~Raven~
 
Heh, if you googled my real name with UU or Unitarian, you'd get a heck of a lot of hits. I worked for a lot of churches in various capacities, but most often as music director. Then there's the young adult network where Al and I know each other from...then there's the AR/AO...and it goes on and on...
 
Heh, if you googled my real name with UU or Unitarian, you'd get a heck of a lot of hits. I worked for a lot of churches in various capacities, but most often as music director. Then there's the young adult network where Al and I know each other from...then there's the AR/AO...and it goes on and on...

Now I'm curious. But how many years have you been with the UU church?

~Raven~
 
Thank you

Raven,

Thank you SO much for starting this thread and to others who have contributed so far.
To date, we've only been vaguely familiar with UU, having had several friends (including lovers) that were members. Just in the last 2-3 months we've become increasingly curious about the potential because we feel a need to get out and have more human interaction with like-minded individuals (not just poly etc). We had actually made the initial call to the local UU leader (?) and had plans for making a visit after the holidays.
Your info & links turned out to be a real gem. Spawning from that came a treasure trove of just "good stuff" that seemed to support our decision & curiosity.
We've avoided such a thing in the past primarily because the terms "church" and "religion" have profound negative connotations to us. We think we've seen past that stereotype and are willing to investigate deeper and your links provided support for that decision. We encourage any other readers to peruse some of the material regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs. There seems to be a range of just "solid wisdom" circulating in some of these sites.

GS
 
I think it was greenearthal that brought the UU church and their stance on poly to my awareness. Very pleased to see that at least one church has acknowledged that it doesn't clash with their doctrines by definition.
 
Now I'm curious. But how many years have you been with the UU church?

~Raven~

I first got involved in the mid nineties on the advice of Kurt Vonnegut. (see the religious roll call thread for my story) I first got involved with the young adult network, then did a lot of youth advising and music directing at various churches. I served on some continental steering committees and also helped to form an online church for young adults. I used to direct and do the music for the bridging ceremonies at General Assembly (bridging ceremonies for youth who are aging into the young adult age range)

I do a lot of youth work and music work for the Unitarians in the UK now, including training in teaching a sexuality education course designed by liberal religious people that is far more inclusive and open minded about gender, sexuality, orientation and relationship structures.

Anyway, yeah....I'm all over the UU stuff :)
 
You're so welcome GroundedSpirit :D and I'm glad it was helpful to you and others.

I tend to connect the terms church and religion to negative meanings as well. I didn't understand how a pagan group could be connected to a church years ago when I first started researching. And there were lots of messages that you couldn't include Christian practices in your life as well as pagan ones. But the UUs seem unique. They include and reach out across so many religious and spiritual backgrounds and experiences.

It provides a place that I believe my love and I can share spiritually rather than being split because of a church that preaches intolerance and exclusion.

I know it makes me feel warm and bubbly lol. We just need to follow through. I know the UU pastor where we used to live welcomed newcomers at the beginning of every month. We still have to explore if the UU congregation also does the same where we are now.

Cool Ceoli, hope you don't mind me tapping you if I have questions *grins*

I am now looking up the Young Adult Network and the Church of the Younger Fellowship. I'll see if there are avenue to become involved in January.

~Raven~
 
Ask away! I'm sure greenearthal will have something to say too. (he is made of awesome in every way)
 
Polyamory, UUs, and Christianity

I didn't and still don't feel the UUs would clash with my spirituality, politics or any of my identities. Nevermind my slight aversion to the word "church." I feel it would be a good supplement in my spiritual path.

I would like to find a spiritual center that my love also enjoys. He is Christian and accepting of my spirituality.

An independent group called UU Christian Fellowship (UUCF, www.uuchristian.org), is connected with Unitarian Universalism. UUCF leadership knows about polyamory. I'm a member of UUCF and a trustee of UUs for Polyamory Awareness.

It's possible to be either poly or Christian or both in a UU church, and be fully welcomed and included. You might need to provide a little education, but it's well worth it. I'd be happy to talk with you or your husband more, here, on the UUPoly email list, or in private email.

Jasmine
 
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I do a lot of youth work and music work for the Unitarians in the UK now, including training in teaching a sexuality education course designed by liberal religious people that is far more inclusive and open minded about gender, sexuality, orientation and relationship structures.

Anyway, yeah....I'm all over the UU stuff :)

<3 OWLS! I mean, what other church will they teach about dental dams to 7th graders I ask?

Anyway, I'm a UU too1 My gf and I recently joined the church in Asheville and I had been a member of a UU church in Cleveland years ago (til I moved away to Chicago with my now-ex so he could join UU seminary!)

Anyway, I'm a member of the UU poly chat list but its pretty quiet. Guess I've not said much either though.
 
<3 OWLS! I mean, what other church will they teach about dental dams to 7th graders I ask?

Anyway, I'm a UU too1 My gf and I recently joined the church in Asheville and I had been a member of a UU church in Cleveland years ago (til I moved away to Chicago with my now-ex so he could join UU seminary!)

Anyway, I'm a member of the UU poly chat list but its pretty quiet. Guess I've not said much either though.

Ha! I'm willing to be that there's a good chance I know lots of the same people you do. Now I'm really wondering who your ex is!!!
 
An independent group called UU Christian Fellowship (UUCF, www.uuchristian.org), is connected with Unitarian Universalism. UUCF leadership knows about polyamory. I'm a member of UUCF and a trustee of UUs for Polyamory Awareness.

It's possible to be either poly or Christian or both in a UU church, and be fully welcomed and included. You might need to provide a little education, but it's well worth it. I'd be happy to talk with you or your husband more, here, on the UUPoly email list, or in private email.

Jasmine

Thanks for reaching out to me Jasmine. I will definitely explore the link in depth. I've already clicked on it. And I will PM you if I have any questions. I am glad you can be both in the UU church. I doubt the UUs will ever disappoint when it comes to how embracing they are to different people of myriad backgrounds and perspectives. I am excited to start attending this coming weekend. And I would like to be involved in more than a superficial way. There is more than one congregation here and I have no idea how to make the decision which one to start going to regularly.

Seeking a spiritual center which both my love and I can share is mainly to do with the fact that I am Pagan and he is Christian. There are some churches, many within the Black community, which would encourage we both be of the same faith etc etc. I would rather be apart of a spiritual community which affirms diversity and life.

Edit: Forgot to add. I'm not married :). But a handfasting is something we would like to do.

~Raven~
 
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