What to expect -- We meet the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.  We have coffee and socializing, sometimes discussion on a planned topic at 10:00 AM.  Our lay -lead service starts at 10:30 and usually lasts around an hour. Following the service we have more coffee and socializing. 

What do adults wear? Adults wear casual, everyday clothes. Jeans, corduroy, tee shirts, and tennis shoes are the norm. If you want to dress nicer, that's ok too.

What goes on during a typical worship service? Each service begins with a welcome and announcements of congregational news. Our service includes reciting of our covenant, lighting of the chalice, music, stories, readings, the sermon, discussion, singing, short meditation, candle lighting to express joys and concerns, offering, extinguishing the chalice, and closing words. A word about music…. We sometimes sing without accompaniment. Sometimes we use CD's. If you are a visitor, expect to introduce yourself during the welcoming time. We want to get to know you! We express joys and concerns by lighting candles. We also allow members and guests to verbalize these joys and concerns if they wish. We have discussion of the topic of service immediately following the presentation.

May my child stay with me? Sure, if that is what you wish. We are working on providing childcare during our services. See next question.

What about childcare? What do children do during service? What ages are included? Children will stay with the adults during the first part of the service. Before the sermon, a bell is rung that signals that the children and childcare provider can leave the larger group. Children aged 3 to 10 can participate. We welcome older children to help with the younger ones.  We are in the process of expanding  our childcare to include some religious education for the children.  One thing they do is to  have their own joys and concerns during their time together. We hope to be able to provide age appropriate activities and learning experiences.

How do I join?

This is from our Bylaws..

Article V. Membership

Section 1: Eligibility
5.1.1 Membership is open to all persons regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and /or disability.
5.1.2 Any person who has attained the age of sixteen (16), and who agrees with the purpose stated in Article II, may become a member of this Fellowship by signing the Membership Book and committing to participate in the affairs of the Fellowship, contributing services and /or contributing funds.
5.1.3 Any person who has attained the age of fourteen (14) through fifteen (15) and who agrees with the purpose stated in Article II may become a youth member of the Fellowship by signing the Membership book and committing to participate in the affairs of the Fellowship, contributing services and /or contributing funds.

Article II. Purpose

The Purpose of this Church is to create a free religious community that inspires spiritual growth, honors religious freedom and embraces diversity, with members who minister with love to each other and to the larger community.

Where can I go to find our more about Unitarian Universalism?
We have brochures available at church. Please feel free to take one. We have some that were ordered from the UUA, and one that was created by us, about our Yadkin Valley UU Fellowship.
You may also visit this web site. www.uua.org/visitors/ .

"Our Liberal Faith"  which can be viewed in full by going to the Sermon Archives:

James Luther Adams, a Unitarian, said that faith is that about which we are willing to risk the waged meaning of our lives. Faith is not a knowing or a believing. It is a trust that meaning is possible and not a certainty. It says that something happens between our lives and our world that makes the world richer and our lives worth living.

This excerpt is taken from “Faith Works: The Perspective of Liberal Tradition”
Sermon by the Rev. Jim Eller - All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, Kansas City, Missouri
www.allsoulskc.org  February 26, 2006