Diversity in beliefs – We are the hyphenated

Recently, the Rev. Tom Owen-Towle and Ken Brown, the PSWD District Executive lead UUFSD in a workshop on engaging our theological diversity. Held at UUFSD, and including members from many nearby fellowships, the lively workshop developed a spirited discussion about the many beliefs and traditions we bring to UU, pluralism, and encouraging openness, exploration, and support.

As part of the ministerial search process, we continued the conversation by including a survey question about the belief systems that each member held:

Many UU’s religious/spiritual beliefs are derived from various belief systems. How do the following statements describe yours?

One of the interesting findings: we have a lot of hyphens in our beliefs!

First of all, the most common response was that none of the 16 belief systems listed described one’s belief system perfectly. This was from 44% of the Fellowship.

The next largest response – 39% of the Fellowship have their own unique hyphenated combination of belief systems shared by nobody else in the Fellowship. (see the full list below)

The remaining one-sixth of the Fellowship share some single or hyphenated belief system with at least one other member. These are:

Eclectic (5%)
Ethical religion-Eclectic (2%)
Buddhism (2%)
Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism (2%)
Atheism (2%)
Atheism-Non-Theism (2%)
Judaism (2%)
Humanism (2%)

Here’s the list of one-to-a-person hyphenated combinations:

Humanism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality-Pantheism-Eclectic
Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-I am learning aspects of Buddhism
Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Pantheism-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality-Eclectic-Intellectualism
Atheism-Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality-Buddhism
Ethical Christianity-Buddhism-Humanism-Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality-Pantheism-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Humanism-Naturalistic Theism-MysticismEarth-centered spirituality-Pantheism-Eclectic
Humanism-Atheism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism
Humanism-Non-Theism-Naturalistic Theism-Eclectic
Non-Theism-Ethical religion-Earth-centered spirituality-Buddhist Meditation
Skepticism-Agnosticism-Eclectic
Naturalistic Theism-Mysticism-Eclectic
Humanism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality-Eclectic-Christian-Buddhism-Earth-Centered
Agnosticism-Pantheism-Eclectic
Buddhism-Agnosticism
Ethical Christianity-Humanism-Atheism-Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion
Ethical Christianity-Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Pantheism-Eclectic
Agnosticism-Hope
Mysticism-Eclectic
Naturalistic Theism-MysticismEarth-centered spirituality-Pantheism-Eclectic-spirituality through meditation-
Pantheism-Eclectic-Buddhism, Hinduism, Yoga
Buddhism-Non-Theism
Agnosticism
Earth-centered spirituality-Pantheism-Eclectic-Pagan/Goddess ritual
Ethical Christianity
Ethical Christianity-Ethical religion-Naturalistic Theism-Mysticism-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Pantheism-United Church of Christ
Buddhism-Eclectic
Buddhism-Pantheism-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Agnosticism-Naturalistic Theism-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Naturalistic Theism-Pantheism-Eclectic
Humanism-Atheism-Non-Theism-Skepticism-Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality
Love and Positive Thinking
Naturalistic Theism-Earth-centered spirituality
Naturalistic Theism-Eclectic
Non-Theism-Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion
Pantheism
Pantheism-Eclectic
Buddhism-Skepticism-Agnosticism
Agnosticism-Ethical religion
Humanism-Atheism-Skepticism
Judaism-Buddhism-Humanism-Atheism-Non-Theism-Skepticism
Non-Theism
Skepticism-Agnosticism
Skepticism-Agnosticism-Ethical religion-Eclectic
Ethical Christianity-Buddhism-Non-Theism-MysticismEclectic-Christianity
Ethical Christianity-Humanism-Atheism-Skepticism-Ethical religion
Ethical religion
Atheism-Non-Theism-Ethical religion
Naturalistic Theism-MysticismEarth-centered spirituality-Eclectic-Pagan
Buddhism-Ethical religion
Atheism-Non-Theism-Skepticism

The many ways that UUFSD members participate

UUFSD members find many ways to actively participate with other fellowship members, in the details of keeping the fellowship running, and reaching out to the community.

More than half of the fellowship is involved in supporting other members in some way. Although this isn’t an every day activity, nor is it something formally organized by the Fellowship, it involves more members of hte Fellowship than anything else.

Committees – a mainstay of UU congregational life – also spur involvement by more than half the fellowship. It may come as no surprise that there is a core of members who are more active than others. At present, around one in six members is involved in committee work as often as every week or two. Another one-sixth are involved every 2 to 4 weeks.

Sunday Services also involve involvement by more than half the fellowship. This ranges from participation in the Sunday Services Committee, to periodic lay-led services. These member-guided services, typically held in the summer, include music, dance, and thoughtful “This I believe” formats.

This fellowship has built homes for families across the border in Mexico. Called the Homes for Hope project, each home build has involved a different group of Fellowship members, including some very hands-on JRUU and YRUU members.

A few areas that get narrower participation are leadership, Denominational affairs, and helping in the office.

What kind of leadership skills do we want in a new minister?

In the focus groups, members offered numerous dimensions of leadership they want in a new minister. 

Leadership

A leader inspires, engages in dynamic dialogue with the congregation, helps us progress along our spiritual paths. Leadership spawns leaders, encouraging and training lay leaders and other volunteers. He or she will draw us together, help us become what we can, and encourage us to act thoughtfully.

Our members asked for a minister who :

• ministers to everyone so we are not separated into groups
• reaches all, from Christians to atheists
• can expound upon our sources, speak to each of the UU living traditions
• is a unifying force among diversity in thought
• good with different factions
• has a vision of where we need to be
• with vision and with the ability to articulate that vision
• channels our energy in some direction
• brings us together
• has a strong voice
• engages congregation in a two-way dialogue
• provides leadership and direction to the Board
• provides structure and change to the Fellowship
• excites people
• energizes us
• inspires us
• encourages us to be thoughtful and act thoughtfully
• is sensitive to all our needs and firm in guiding our growth
• has an opinion

• builds something new without throwing out our favorite traditions