A Little About the UUFA

Annual Apple Communion

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames (UUFA) is a welcoming community, seeking to provide opportunities for people of all ages to grow in their spiritual and ethical lives, and finding the means to engage the world in creative and transformative ways. Here members and friends are encouraged and empowered.  Here they are excited and involved.  Here we express true meaning of fellowship and togetherness.

Members are encouraged to "dive in," to get involved and make an impact.  From Sunday morning programs to budget decisions, we foster a high degree of participation by everyone in the congregation, reaching throughout our congregational life and into the community.  Expressions of our religious beliefs are manifest in our lives; what we do is what we believe. These expressions are apparent as we teach our children of their own value as human beings and help them gain an appreciation for the strength in the human diversity of our world. They are apparent as we embrace the plurality of life and expressions of self and identity by being a Welcoming Congregation, or as we seek to become a Green Sanctuary, a program that helps us monitor and reduce our negative impact on the world's environment.

Theologically, the UUFA is home to liberal Christians, pagans, Hindus, Buddhists, religious humanists and those for whom any definition would feel limiting. Theists and atheists alike seek answers to the difficult question of living in our religious home. The Fellowship is not a place for everyone or every idea, but we seek to keep our hearts and minds open, learning from each other ways to help create a world based on the principles of compassion, love, and justice.

If we can be of service or you are looking for a place to grow, please come visit us!

What to Expect on a Sunday

Our Sunday mornings begin as people gather before the service. Volunteers are making coffee, setting up chairs, greeting each other and awaiting the start of service.

As you arrive in the building, you will be greeted by a member near the door. If you are new to us, the greeter can direct you to our visitor's table where you can make a name tag and sign up to receive information. Most members wear permanent name tags, making it easier for all of us to learn names. UUs tend to be friendly folks, so don't be surprised if somebody you don't know says hello.

A few minutes before service starts, someone will move through the Fireside Room ringing a bell to let people know it is time to move into Fellowship Hall for the service. As you pass through the door, you'll be handed a program, detailing the morning's service and a calendar of events for the week. The program varies from week to week, but usually includes a mixture of readings, meditation, songs sung by the congregation, special music performed by members, and a sermon. There are no assigned or reserved seats, so take a seat wherever you are comfortable.

Usually there will be one or two hymnals (song books) on the chairs. The hymns that are to be sung by the congregation will be listed in the program by name and number. We normally stand to sing because it gives us a chance to stretch our legs, and we sound better that way! But if you don't feel like standing or you have trouble standing, please remain comfortably seated. About halfway through the service we will pass a basket for our offering while there is some special music played. Half of the offering goes to a worthy cause each month (details included in the program). Please don't feel obliged to contribute anything as a visitor; we're just glad you are here!

Once the service is over, we gather in the Fireside Room to socialize while drinking fair-trade coffee or tea and partaking in wonderful treats. This is a great time to get to know some of our community. Feel free to ask questions about our Fellowship and Unitarian Universalism in general - you might not get the same answers from everybody, but that's part of our charm!

Questions?

Check out our FAQ page.