TWENTY-FIVE THINGS YOUR UUCF CHAPTER CAN DO

Still stuck for ideas about what to do as a UUCF Chapter? Or, perhaps your chapter needs a little spiritual depth-charge to it. This list "Twenty Five Things Your UUCF Chapter Can Do" was published in an edition of "The Good News" and is a creative and helpful guide to enlivening your UUCF group.

Sponsor a communion service at a cluster or district meeting. Many Unitarian Universalist Christians do not have access to the kind of community a UUCF chapter or Unitarian Universalist Christian church brings. By sponsoring a communion service — perhaps in cooperation with a church — isolated Unitarian Universalist Christians will have closer access to this vital observance.
Offer a “credo” group, to discern one’s own theology. Both Unitarianism and Universalism has a history of shunning creeds as the basis of fellowship and church membership, but neither is opposed to strong personal faith. Indeed, both depend on personal maturity in faith. A “credo” (from Latin, I believe)
Study Unitarianism and Universalism in other parts of the world. Liberal religion is not the same in all parts of the world.
Meditate — silently or with voice — in a group. There is disquiet in the world.
Hold a group dinner (and share newly-composed graces). From the earliest days, Christians have gathered together.
Invite discussions with others in an ecumenical, interfaith, or intra-Unitarian Universalist way.
Raise money for new Unitarian Universalist Christian churches. New churches need resources for growth.
Hold a retreat or a workshop on Christian disciplines or practices.
Visit churches as a group.
Collect goods for the local food or clothing bank.
Host a regular prayer circle.
Hold a “great books” discussion group.
Advocate for religious toleration in coalition with others.
Sponsor a mututal accountability group, say for particular populations, like new fathers, retirees, or lesbians.
Hold a “psalms writing” class.
Host a crafts or goods fair, with the proceeds helping oppressed Unitarians and Universalists, or others, in other parts of the world.
Send a “care package” to a seminarian from (or in) your area. Every seminarian knows the loneliness and uncertainty of vocation. A simple gift is a reminder and a connection, remembering that the gifts of ministry grow with both academic and personal support.
Visit persons in care facilities who have no near-by relatives or friends.
Cooperate with area councils of churches when ecumenical services or projects are planned.
Review new works of Christian theology or practices and share your thoughts with others. Include video tapes.
The problem with creedless individualism is that it can stifle creative theological thought.
Develop a “disaster plan” for sending some relief to persons affected by disaster, locally and abroad.
A hurricane, a fire, an earthquake: these disasters move us deeply. A plan to meet these needs will give us the time to act wisely.
Send a “circular letter” — news, a vision of the groups common goals, a prayer, and a common charge or recommendation — to other groups. This discipline, once common among associations and conventions to inform and inspire others, can be rekindled as a way of discerning group ideals, and proving that communities can help and inform one another without trying to impose authority over them.
Sponsor a “I hope Unitarian Universalism will be someday . . . ” discussion. “Without a vision, the people perish.”
Share simple, positive affirmations of liberal Christian faith, which one might use to describe ourselves, or invite others to share community. The days of “Unitarian Universalists don’t believe that!” should be over. Positive affirmations — within the bounds of freedom — need to be created.
Pray for others — friends and enemies, those known and not, the powerful and the helpless — with the same love Christ had for us. No discipline is as universal for groups of Christians than prayer.