What does it take to become a UU of Marquette?

[malangen]

Hello,
My girlfriend and I were both surprised upon seeing a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Marquette. It took roughly two years before we did some more investigation, but are very impressed after reading the "Principles and Purposes" section on the website among other things. We are both atheist and curious as to how the congregation and services operate. Different sources tend to say different things about what goes on during a UU service, so I thought there would be no better place than a forum with real UU members of the congregation in question. Any more information beyond what the website says would be greatly appreciated (e.g. Congregation size, age demographics, and smaller details like are the hymns from biblical text?).

Thanks,
Levi

[David]

Hey Levi,

Suffice to say the congregation is about 100 members or so to my knowledge, but usually 50 or so are at any given service. MUUC is lay-led, so there is no resident minister - some of the congregation elders, average Joes, and sometimes guest speakers run the services. The services are as unique as the people who run them; some are in a more traditional style while some completely throw out the outline and play it by ear. I'd say the best way to experience it is to just go one Sunday - and better yet, make it three, because every service is different, and it takes three points to make a curve.

At this moment, most of the congregation in attendance is older (30+) and their children (14-), because NMU is not in session (summer classes don't count). There are a handful of twenty-somethings that stay over the summer, but the 18-30 demographic fills up to around a dozen or so during school season.

Some of the hymns are from Biblical texts, others are pulled from the Qu'ran, the Tao, and some are originals written by UU's. The hymnbook is as diverse as UUism itself.

As I'm not qualified to answer anything more than that, I will pass your message along to those more in the know...February Sky is playing this Sunday so do catch the offbeat Celtic-inspired pagan folk music concert

Mahalo,
David