Information for Newcomers

1. What should I and my children wear to this church?
2. Is there childcare/Sunday school during the service?
3. If my child doesn't separate well, can she/he stay with me in the service?
4. Are there any (insert ethnic group) people in this congregation?
5. Are people of (insert race) welcome in t his congregation?
6. Are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) people welcome in this congregation?
7. Are there people in the congregation who believe (insert belief)?
8. What goes on during the Sunday services?

The members of our congregation attend services in a variety of styles of clothing. You are welcome to wear "business attire," shorts and sandals, or anything in between. During the service, there is a religious education class (Sunday School) for ages 3 and up. There is infant, toddler and pre-school childcare as well as R E classes for school age children.

At this time, we do not offer infant care. Children of all ages are also welcome to remain in the service, as their parents prefer. A brief summary of the scheduled topic, as well as information about some of the recent and upcoming programs from our services is available on the website or in the newsletter.

Our congregation is ethnically and racially diverse, and it is unlikely that anyone would have a reason to feel uncomfortable. We have had visitors and speakers from many cultures and faith traditions. Some of our members are from the LGBT communities also.  All are welcome and encouraged to actively participate in sharing their ideas and views.

We have refreshments and an informal fellowship time before and after the service. One of our unique traditions at the UFL is the talkback period following the service, where you can ask follow-up questions of the speaker, and engage the congregation in discussion of alternative views. We love to talk! We'd like to meet you, and hope that you'll drop by for a visit! We are a friendly group, but we are not "pushy"; your right to independent thought is important to us.

Like most Unitarian Universalist congregations, the UU Fellowship of Longview is a spiritually diverse community. Our members have roots in Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan, Humanist, agnostic, atheist and other beliefs. At UFL, you can count on respect for your religious beliefs, whatever they are. In general, Unitarian Universalists congregate because of this respect for a diversity of belief. Many feel that there is no single religious truth and that life is a spiritual journey best experienced with others. We strive to be ethnically and affectionally diverse, and we welcome those of any ethnicity or affect ional orientation.

Want to know more about what to expect in our congregation? Have a question about the Unitarian Fellowship of Longview? Why not email us (see below)? We'll also respond to general questions about Unitarian Universalism. We look forward to hearing from you.