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About Us
If you’re searching for a spiritual home that is guided by a quest for truth and meaning, we invite you to discover Unitarian Universalism at Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church (GMUUC).
Unitarian Universalist congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities — and the world — a better place.
Within our diversity, there are some things that unite us. We believe in the importance of individual free search for truth and meaning. We believe in every person’s inherent worth and dignity. And we believe deeply in the importance of work for justice in this world. We are a Welcoming Congregation, celebrating and affirming the active presence of all people.
Inspire Connection. Advocate Love.
Nurture Wonder. Serve the World.
Mission
Our mission is to…
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Inspire connection, with people, nature, and spirit
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Advocate love, through generosity
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Nurture wonder
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Serve the world
Vision
The GMUUC vision is to be a visible leader and partner in our community, living our Unitarian Universalist values with open hearts and minds.
We are Unitarian Universalists
GMUUC was founded in 1993. Our congregation is affiliated with the continent-wide UU Association, which includes over 1,000 churches and fellowships in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
What We Believe:
We are brave, curious, and compassionate thinkers and doers. We are diverse in faith, ethnicity, history and spirituality, but aligned in our desire to practice our faith and beliefs in tangible ways. We foster respectful communities hallmarked by action, love, and acceptance of all people.
We have radical roots and a history as self-motivated spiritual people: we think for ourselves and actively object to what we believe is wrong. We have a track record of standing on the side of people, love, justice, and peace. Our faith has always been motivated by a desire to contribute to the greater good.
We are a house without walls, a congregation without spiritual boundaries, and a movement toward a more action-oriented faith in yourself, your god(s), and your beliefs. Simply put, we are a guided path towards a better you and a better world.
Our Seven Principles:
We believe in and work towards…
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The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
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Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
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Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
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A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
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The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
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The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
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Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
The Six Sources of UU Belief:
As Unitarian Universalists, we are proud of our efforts to maintain open minds in the search for truth. We are not asked to adhere blindly to myths or creeds, but are called to look at varied possibilities, to test assumptions, and to discuss our beliefs. We see the development of personal religion as an ongoing and ever-changing task.
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:
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Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
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Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
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Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
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Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
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Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
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Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Our
Covenant
Covenant is a unconditional part of Congregational Polity and the Free Church. Where creeds or doctrines hold other faiths together, we are held together by our promises to one another. “Covenant” is Latin for “come together” and means a “solemn agreement” or “promise from the heart” regarding a course of action between parties.
Many congregations have Covenants of Right Relations which help clarify expectations and creating a safe environment for congregations. But our congregational covenants also have a purpose essential to the practice of Unitarian Universalism — covenants are a deep, abiding promise between equals to partner with each other and with that which is bigger than ourselves to work for a just and loving world.
In other words,
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What are our most important shared loyalties and commitments?
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What do we promise to one another as we serve?
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How are we to be together as a faith community?
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How do we explicitly express our relationship with one another and with the object of our shared ultimate commitment?
Creating a covenant is something that each congregation has to do for itself.
We promise to:
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Actively listen to each other, employ flexibility toward differing opinions and thought, using honest, non-hurtful language.
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Respect each other’s inherent worth and dignity in accordance with the principles of the UUA.
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Honor and utilize existing systems for conflict resolution (e.g. Board of Trustees, Bylaws, Committee on Ministry) and continually re-educate ourselves on these processes as necessary.
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Accept mutual responsibility of expressing and honoring personal boundaries.
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Address concerns directly, promptly and personally in a manner that promotes mutual respect and avoids triangulation.
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Accept tasks responsibly and positively and seek help if needed.
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Continue to promote our church and welcome newcomers.
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Be mindful that individually and collectively we are representatives of the Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church and the Unitarian Universalist Association and conduct ourselves in public events, small and large, in concert with our principles and covenants.
As adopted by GMUUC at the 2005 Annual Meeting conducted on May 22, 2005.