Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re just interested in knowing more about the UU faith, are planning your first visit to our church, or have been coming for many years but are still curious, see our list of Frequently Asked Questions below:
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Our speakers and ministers give sermons on a wide array of topics rooted in current events, social justice concerns, history, and faith backgrounds. We have ministers and speakers from Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, UU, Pagan, and atheistic backgrounds. We believe in the freedom of the pulpit— the right of speakers and ministers to speak freely when leading services— and we encourage discussion (and dissent!) during coffee hour following services.
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Absolutely not! As UUs we believe that love is the spirit of our church and service is it’s law— as long as your spiritual journey, belief system, and individual values are rooted in those two fundamentals, then we welcome you to our church.
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While we do have an offeratory portion of our service where a member of the congregation will pass a donation plate, and we do have a place for individuals to give virtually, no one is expected to donate monetarily. Your presence and ideas are enough contribution.
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Of course. All individuals committed to love, inclusivity, and supporting each other in our individual search for truth and meaning are welcome here.
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Our Friday evening services are paired with a potluck dinner. Those participating often bring snacks or dishes to pass, and we share a meal together. Bringing a dish is not required for participation, and we try to account for most dietary restrictions.
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There is no dress code at Pullman, and those visiting and attending services will see a diverse array of attire. Some people come dressed in their church clothes, while still others wear casual attire like jeans and t-shirts. We believe that what you are doing to improve your community is far more important than how you dress for church.
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We have beautiful music during services! We have a Kawaii baby grand piano, as well as our historic Johnson organ that our musician plays our hymns on. Each pew has a hymnal to follow along in, though singing (and standing) is optional.
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When attending services at our church, those that have come from highly organized faith backgrounds will immediately notice that our services are different than what they’re used to. Services will typically include readings from our hymnal or other sources, music, a sermon, and a sharing of “joys and concerns”. There is typically not a standard prayer as part of the UU service, though we may have a meditation moment or the recitation of our covenant (“Love is the spirit of our church and service it’s law…”). We believe that prayer is an individual spiritual exercise between each person and the divinity they feel most connected to.
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Absolutely! While we do not have specific programming for children at this time, many of our congregation’s families bring their children who are encouraged to be kids. We have a nursery/play room available off the coffee hour room, and children are always welcome in the sanctuary during services.
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Yes! Our coffee hour room and fireplace room can be used for meetings and events, and we also have a formal dining room and kitchen available for larger events. Our coffee hour room features a smart TV with the ability to play DVDs, streaming services, and can be linked to other devices via an HDMI link.
For more information about reservations and rates, please contact us.
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We are not a Bible-based church, though we do not discourage members from seeking truth and meaning in the Bible, or any other faith-based work.
As UUs, we affirm eight principles as the foundation of our “living tradition”, and we draw from six sources: direct individual experience, words and deeds of prophetic people and great thinkers, wisdom from world religions, Jewish and Christian teachings, Humanist teachings, and earth-centered spiritual traditions. Find out more here.
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Our eight principles serve as moral guides and the foundation for our individual value systems. They are:
The inherent worth and dignity of all people
Justice, equity and inclusion
Acceptance of each other and encouragement to spiritual growth
Free and responsible search for truth and meaning
Support for the democratic process
World community with peace, liberty and justice for all
Respect for the interdependent web of life
Dismantling racism and systems of oppression
To learn more, click here!
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While our services are not typically overtly political, we are a congregation and faith tradition that prioritizes awareness of current events.
We have official church participation in political movements and events that align with our principles as Unitarian Universalists. These can include supporting and bringing awareness to environmental concerns, supporting LGBTQ+ communities, bringing awareness to systemic racism and its impacts, supporting immigrants, bringing awareness to the impacts of mass incarceration, supporting women’s rights, and honoring the history and culture of indigenous people. Individual congregants also partake in a variety of political events that feel important to them.
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We both welcome and accept individuals regardless of faith background, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic status. Our belief is that all individuals seeking to build an inclusive community rooted in love are welcome here. As we say: love is the spirit of our church and service is it’s law.
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No. We do not perform baptism rites at Pullman. If you’d like to become a member of our church there is a book signing ceremony that welcomes each new official member. Speak to a member of the board for more details.