First Universalist Church of Rochester
Here at First Universalist, we are more than a church. We are a loving, justice-seeking spiritual community. We are proudly rooted in our downtown neighborhood, yet our members come from all over the greater Rochester area. Guided by our faith in the worth and dignity of all, we build community that includes—a faith that welcomes you in your wholeness. Unitarian Universalists are people of many religious backgrounds, people of many racial and cultural backgrounds, people of many life experiences and identities. We are a welcoming congregation that actively affirms and encourages the full participation of all.Unitarian Universalist Association: We know that religious spaces haven’t always been welcoming places for all people, especially when it comes to gender and sexuality. We are out to change that. For 25 years we have worked hard to make sure lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are full members of our faith communities. Being welcoming means striving for radical inclusion, and creating spaces that honor every part of our identities, backgrounds, and experiences.Our Mission: We dedicate ourselves to the mission of this church: to nurture the spirit, and serve the community.Our Beliefs: In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, your expansive heart. Our beliefs are diverse and inclusive. We have no shared creed. Our shared covenant (our seven Principles) supports “the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” Though Unitarianism and Universalism were both liberal Christian traditions, some of us embrace diverse teachings from other faiths, hold humanist beliefs, or call ourselves atheists. Unitarian Universalists reflect together about important questions, including:
The existence of a Higher Power
Life and Death
Sacred Texts
Prayer and Spiritual Practices
We are united in shared experience: our open and stirring worship services, religious education, and rites of passage; our work for social justice; our quest to include the marginalized; our expressions of love.
