Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
of the Eastern Slopes
About UUFES
UUFES Mission Statement
Adopted May 19, 2002The mission of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes is to be a welcoming congregation of people of good will who unite:
To encourage and support spiritual and intellectual growth in children, youth and adults.
To be a living model of respect for diversity and difference, encouraging the free expression of thoughts, ideas,and beliefs.
To provide a caring community in which individuals and families come together in friendship, respect, and joy.
To act on our Unitarian Universalist principles to improve our community, locally and globally, through social action and outreach.
What to Expect During a Sunday Morning Service
On Arrival
Worship is held every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Please enter through the large front door. There is a ramp to the right of the front door to accommodate those who cannot use the
steps. This entrance gives you access to the lift to the second floor sanctuary. Please ask for someone to help you use the lift.
There's a coat room on first floor to the right. The sanctuary is at the top of the double staircase. Someone will be outside the sanctuary to greet you and make a name tag for you -- we want to know who you are so that we may get to know you better and make you feel welcome. You will be greeted and then provided with an Order of Service. Hymnals will be found on the chairs. If you're not from a Unitarian Universalist background, many of the hymns will be unfamiliar to you while others may have familiar tunes with unfamiliar words. Feel free to jump right in and make a joyful noise.
What Happens During the Service?
Content of individual services will vary, but there are commonalities in all services.
Services begin at 10:00 a.m. Guests are offered an opportunity to introduce themselves or be introduced. This is entirely optional. Usually a chime is rung after the prelude that invites the fellowship to enter into the reflective spirit of community, followed by music and opening words. The lighting of the Chalice (the official symbol of the Unitarian Universalist Association) indicates the beginning of the service tradition.
At one point the minister will invite anyone who wishes to come forward, light a candle and share a joy or concern. Visitors are welcome to join in this.
Music is offered in every service. It may include several hymns, recorded music, guest musicians, or our choir. Most services include a silent meditation and may include a responsive reading. There is a free will offering but guests are welcome to just pass the basket.
Most services include a sermon which is delivered by the minister or guest speaker.
It is our custom to remain seated during the postlude. The extinguishing of the chalice signals the end of the service. Services tend to last about an hour and fifteen minutes.
After the service, refreshments are served in the Sanctuary - a time for community and conversation.
Childcare and Religious Exploration Classes During Sunday Services
We are delighted that you are attending UUFES with children. We recognize that one of the most important considerations for families with children is the availability and quality of childcare for young children during Sunday services and Religious Exploration Classes for older children. We work hard to accommodate the needs of all children spending time in our meetinghouse, and aim to create a welcoming and child-friendly environment. If it's your first visit, the religious education staff will introduce themselves, give you a quick tour of our building and ask you some basic questions about your child's needs.
UUFES provides child care for young children and religious education for older children from September through June. During summer months child care is provided for all children, though older children are encourage to remain for the service.
Services begin at 10:00 a.m. and children usually stay in the sanctuary for the first 15 or 20 minutes for welcomes, introductions, announcements, candles of joys and concerns and a "time for all ages", which is a story or activity geared to children. Children then go downstairs, being "sung out" with a special song. Sometimes caregivers accompany their children downstairs to help them settle in. (Also, our stairs are steep, so toddlers may need assistance). Caregivers may check on their children downstairs at any time, and children are welcome to rejoin the service upstairs.
At refreshment time, the children have their snack downstairs. Caregivers should pick up their children downstairs by 11:30.
For any questions about religious education during the Sunday service, please contact coordinators Margaret Rieser, 603-323-9430, or Tracy Nudd-Homeyer, Child and Youth Program Director, 603-323-8585.
Membership
Information about Unitarian Universalism is always available at our services. And we can provide you with references to other books and readings about our religion.
Any person, age 16 or older, who is in sympathy with the purpose and program of our fellowship may become a voting member by signing the membership book and making a financial commitment.
Visitors and friends are always welcome, and we invite you to get better acquainted with our community and its people before you make a decision about membership.