Who We Are

The Flaming Chalice

Welcome to the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleboro, a church that puts love at the very heart of our lives together. We welcome diversity in all its forms and persuasions. We work together to build a world that is more loving and more just for all people.

Our rainbow banner lets it be known that we are a Welcoming Congregation, which means we celebrate and affirm gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons.

We are an accredited Green Sanctuary, indicating our commitment to address climate change and environmental justice.

The flaming chalice, lit at the beginning of every service, is our Unitarian Universalist symbol of love, hope, freedom, and faith in action. Our unique rendering of it indicates our understanding that it is only through our shared efforts that we make these things possible.

We seek to provide a sanctuary where people can come together as a community to foster spiritual and personal growth through education and open discussion, to offer the opportunity for meditation and worship, and to serve as a liberal religious voice.

In our interactions with one another, we seek to build a strong community, great with acceptance, appreciation, caring love, respect, tolerance, trust, and forgiveness; to listen to one another and resolve our conflicts peacefully; to sympathize with and show compassion to one another; to express our creativity together; and to delight in fun and friendship.

As a religious community, we strive to help one another in our individual journeys to discover our spiritual selves; to find purpose, self-worth, and peace; to explore moral and ethical questions together; and to inspire, challenge, and to stimulate one another intellectually – with open-mindedness and without judgment.

As individuals and in the larger community, we will speak against injustice and cruelty.  We seek to model tolerance and diversity; confront the fear of difference; and thoughtfully address the many difficult problems of our world.

Seven Principles guide the faith of Unitarian Universalists. These include a commitment to:

  • The inherent worth and dignity of every person
  • Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
  • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
  • A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
  • The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
  • The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
  • Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.