In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, your expansive heart.
We have radical roots and a history as self-motivated spiritual people: we think for ourselves and recognize that life experience influences our beliefs more than anything. We are people of many beliefs and backgrounds: people with a religious background, people with none, people who believe in a God, people who don’t, and people who let the mystery be. We are Unitarian Universalist and Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, atheist and agnostic, believers in God, and more. We need not think alike to love alike.
We are a welcoming community that celebrates diversity. We have been at the forefront of LGBTQ inclusion for over 40 years. We welcome you with all your truths and doubts, your worries and hopes. Join us on this extraordinary adventure of faith.
Our Mission
Our mission is to change lives and heal our world. We are actively seeking to improve our congregational, local, and global community.
We encourage spiritual growth in a diverse congregation which respects the free and responsible expression of ideas. We covenant compassionate fellowship, provide a joyful environment that nurtures creativity, and collaborates with others to promote our values. We provide a vibrant life span program while promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
Our Vision
Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church is a vibrant liberal religious home. We welcome all people while advocating our Seven Principles in the Houston community and the world. Unitarian Universalists are dedicated to religion, not to creed, and do not impose a list of doctrinal formulas upon our congregation.
Our Church holds the love for all creation and the perfection of our spiritual essence as fundamental in our religion. We are dedicated to these Principles with a profound respect for truth, moral integrity, and wisdom, along with a commitment to serving humanity and fostering a spirit of communion with the Infinite.
All are welcome to worship in fellowship at Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church. We celebrate the simplicity and freedom of our religion.
Our Values
Our mission and vision will be achieved by living according to our core values that speak to who and how we wish to be in the world.
- Integrity – We honor our commitments. Our interactions with colleagues, communities, and the broader world mandate that we adhere to our values and principles. Derived from the Latin word “integer,” which means “whole” or “complete,” integrity embodies a sense of wholeness. It ensures that all our words and actions, as well as their underlying motivations, are aligned with our core values. This encompasses attributes such as consistent behavior, trustworthiness, honesty, truthfulness, authenticity, responsibility, accountability, discernment, and dedication. We acknowledge that maintaining integrity requires bravery and are steadfast in our commitment to take definitive action when our Values and Principles are challenged. We strive to consistently align with our Unitarian Universalist beliefs, fully cognizant of our greater purpose within the global community.
- Stewardship – We acknowledge that our present actions lay the groundwork for future generations. Through both words and deeds, we are establishing a legacy for those who follow us. As stewards, we bear the responsibility of managing our entrusted church, along with its mission and vision, with utmost care and integrity. This duty extends beyond personal interest to encompass the needs of unborn members. Our obligation is to ensure the survival and well-being of our cherished church community while furthering its broader global mission. Stewardship transcends financial or physical assets; it encompasses stewardship over all creation and every life we encounter. Just as planting a tree today benefits posterity, touching a life now could catalyze change for tomorrow’s world.
- Respect & Compassion – We believe in the inherent worth of all people. By valuing diversity, we actively foster and maintain an inclusive environment. Our success is reflected in our inclusivity and mutual respect, the diverse contributions we promote, the accomplishments within our community, and the positive impact on lives transformed. We are committed to treating individuals according to their preferences. Recognizing that all living beings seek a life free from harm, we empathize with those who suffer and strive to expand our compassion to encompass all sentient beings and the entirety of existence.
Our Beliefs
Together, we create a force more powerful than one person or one belief system. As Unitarian Universalists, we do not have to check our personal background and beliefs at the door: we join together on a journey that honors everywhere we’ve been before.
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, this responsible search has led us to an inclusive spirituality drawn from six sources: from scriptural wisdom to personal experience to modern day heroes.
Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves, and reflect together, about important questions.
We are united in our broad and inclusive outlook, and in our values, as expressed in our seven Principles. 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.
Learn more about Unitarian Universalists: www.uua.org/beliefs
