How to Find and Visit a Congregation Near You

There are several different kinds of Unitarian Universalist communities, and I will discuss each of them with you this week. There are virtual communities, where Unitarian Universalists chat, pray, worship together through the internet. There are also opportunities to find Unitarian Universalist fellowship through the mail. And, most visibly, there are approximately 1,000 Unitarian Universalist congregations where you can participate in-person.

Today I am focusing on how you can find congregations located in your geographic area, and how you can make your first visit.

Ready to get started? Let’s begin with a simple tool, provided on the Unitarian Universalist Association website, for locating a congregation near you. Click here to begin. On this page, you can select your country, state and zip code, and how far you can travel to a congregation. After you click “Go!” the site will display list of congregations near you, including links to their websites.*

Exploring the websites of these congregations may be helpful. If you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to call the congregation. I have telephoned many Unitarian Universalist congregations, and have found the church administrators who answer the phone to be friendly, well-informed, and eager to help.

The next step is to go to an event at the church. For many people, the first time they visit a church is for Sunday morning worship. (For general guidelines about what to expect in a Unitarian Universalist worship service, click here.) You can learn a lot about whether or not you are in the right place by attending worship, and many people find worship deeply rewarding.

Nonetheless, I am starting to think that it is easier to visit a weekday activity at the church first, especially if you are introverted. Unitarian Universalist congregations often have book clubs, men’s and women’s discussion groups, yoga sessions, and other small group activities that anyone can drop in on during the week. These events provide an opportunity to grow spiritually and to build relationships with people who share your interests.

Some of you may feel immediately at home on your first visit. For others of you, it may take longer to discern whether or not a particular congregation is right for you. Consider visiting multiple congregations as you search for a home. Unitarian Universalist congregations vary in many aspects, including size, demographics, theology and worship style.

There are many wonderful Unitarian Universalist congregations, and I believe most of you will find a congregational home near you. However, if you are still searching after visiting the congregations nearby (or there are no congregations nearby), take heart! There are many Unitarian Universalists in similar situations and the next few posts will discuss the other kinds of Unitarian Universalist community that you can be a part of.

*The Unitarian Universalist Association website, mentioned above, will be re-launched in a new format on April 2. If the link changes, I will update this post accordingly.