tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post1499292873419131395..comments2023-05-16T08:21:43.605-06:00Comments on iMinister: And why can't we convert people to UU?Christine Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02291622244158872449noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-28211772860070951012011-06-28T18:51:23.919-06:002011-06-28T18:51:23.919-06:00All note worthy comments, but tell me what does sp...All note worthy comments, but tell me what does spiritual mean? Is it prayer, "God," hope, meaning in life and after? <br />Tell about a spiritual practices for a UU church?<br />Spirit & emotion? <br />I agree with the general comments, but tell me more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-23318266136983234232011-05-06T19:43:09.017-06:002011-05-06T19:43:09.017-06:00Something tells me you read "American Grace&q...Something tells me you read "American Grace" by Robert Putnam. I am in the middle of it and every third page I am yelling 'wow!', that is exactly what I want to know. <br /><br />I think we have a wonderful church -- all it needs is more spirit and emotion. It takes leadership, love and perhaps a bit of courage to bring those elements into our worship.OnlyConnecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13793714288722589040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-56847069654364186472011-04-28T12:53:43.448-06:002011-04-28T12:53:43.448-06:00I'm a thirty-year-old UU convert and one of th...I'm a thirty-year-old UU convert and one of the things I think is really missing for my generation is spirituality. I think social justice is important--crucial, even--but I think a spiritual foundation, especially one that is welcoming, helps motivate and guide social justice.<br /><br />I don't think we have to give up what makes us UU to get this--a little emotion goes a long way. We can and should have intellectually stimulating sermons, but it would be nice of the actual words used had some force or poetry to them. It's not enough just to talk for a little while about some stuff. I want to be moved.jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07493216742282894214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-1896479596828290572011-04-27T07:06:29.860-06:002011-04-27T07:06:29.860-06:00...I think your analysis is correct, and I look wi......I think your analysis is correct, and I look with a bit of envy at the Unity and Center for Spiritual Living communities, who, at least locally, seem to be growing in leaps and bounds because they fill this very niche you speak of -- very spiritual and warm atmosphere, god-talk, but not Bible-oriented. But at the end of the day, I just can't get into their overall "theology". While I might crave a little more spirituality, I also crave what our UU church and ministers offer: solid, intellectually tight, well-written sermons with literary and scientific references, and very little gooey, meaningless rhetoric. I walk away from services feeling not only inspired, but with a broader mind...and every now and then, more so than in the past, I also get my spiritual hit. Our churches are getting better at this. Continuing this dialougue and being aware of the issues, and not afraid to grapple with them is what will lead us forward. Thank you for doing this!asarsitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-82623817122422253362011-04-27T00:24:10.983-06:002011-04-27T00:24:10.983-06:00Wow, so well put! I really enjoyed your analysis o...Wow, so well put! I really enjoyed your analysis of "none of the above" young adults, which rings true for most of my peers in university and the twenty-somethings I interact with. When I'm asked by curious older adults what I'm looking for in a congregation and I answer with "connection" or "real, deep, meaningful conversation and exploration" - they give me a strange look. But that's exactly what our congregations have the potential to offer, which you have articulated in similar words here.Victoria Mitchellhttp://www.victoria-mitchell.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-41669021434299385302011-04-26T17:30:32.209-06:002011-04-26T17:30:32.209-06:00I agree it is a niche market. I was raised in the...I agree it is a niche market. I was raised in the UU church, but since moving away from my home church I have not found a church that meets my spiritual needs. I know I'm strange in the UU world, but I don't want my spirituality mixed with politics and activism. If we could take the liberal politics out of the church and returned to a spiritual base I would find it a much more inviting place to call home.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-19407011038806255932011-04-26T08:13:09.295-06:002011-04-26T08:13:09.295-06:00We're a niche market in the religious world!
...<i>We're a niche market in the religious world!</i><br /><br />I agree but not all UUs do; and especially those in Boston. Whether you agree really impacts your strategy for growth too.Bill Baarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07095486926836836714noreply@blogger.com