We are a welcoming, open and affirming congregation, a place where people of all races, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations and gender expressions are welcome to come just as they are. In 2007, members of the Fellowship voted overwhelmingly to become an official Welcoming Congregation. The UUFF sanctuary is available for weddings and civil union ceremonies.

Nationally, the UUA has taken a lead in advocating the freedom of same-sex couples to marry, most recently through the Standing on the Side of Love campaign. The UUA has been on record as supporting the rights of bisexual, gay, and lesbian people since 1970. More recently, the denomination has come out in support of the rights of transgender individuals.

This March, UUFF is hosting a visiting minister. The Rev. Gordon D. Gibson and his wife Judy first visited Fairbanks as part of a Whale Coast tour several years ago. We’ve invited them back to experience Interior Alaska in winter. Gordon will give sermons on back-to-back Sundays (March 8 and 15). We’ve planned a Soup Sunday for March 8, after the service, so people can meet Gordon and Judy, but they will also be participating in several other Fellowship activities while in town, including Saturday Chatter on March 7 and the Hungry Book Club on March 13. A dinner with members of the Board is in the plans as well. Read More »

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress, can be judged by the way its animal are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi. Homeless is a word that we’re hearing more and more as our economy spins downward. While more Americans are facing homelessness, an estimated 8 million dogs and cats regularly become homeless each year in our affluent country. With respect to the seven UU Principles, there are some very practical steps that each one of us can do to help reduce this needless statistic, even if you are not willing to adopt another critter. Jeanne Olson is a holistic veterinarian in North Pole, and was the veterinarian/manager at the FNSB Animal Control from 2002-2004. She has also volunteered to help the street dogs and cats in Guam and Romania. Jane Smith will speak about her experiences with the FNSB shelter foster program.

Speakers, Jeanne Olson and Jane Smith. Lay leader, Lisa Sporleder. Accompanist, Laurel Holmes

If you believe religion should be more than a narrow statement of faith, that it should have more than one answer, and that the mystery of creation can be acknowledged without having to be named, maybe UU is right for you. To find out, you can compare your beliefs with those of Unitarian Universalists by visiting the Are You a UU? page or reading the Personal Credos of UUs past and present.

For more fun, visit Beliefnet’s  Belief-O-Matic™ to test your own spiritual beliefs against those of established faiths, including UUism. Belief-O-Matic will ask you 20 questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature, etc., and then will tell you what religion (if any) your beliefs come closest to.

The Unitarian Universalist Association’s website for newcomers to Unitarian Universalism includes much more information on UU beliefs and history.

Our fifth annual “Love is Like a Box of Chocolates” Valentine’s celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on all the many things we mean when we use that overworked word, Love. As usual, we’ve asked an assortment of people to give us their thoughts on love — in word, verse and song — each in 1-3 minute bite-sized morsels. While not everyone may get a Valentine with their name on it this year, everyone who joins us this Sunday will get a piece of chocolate as part of the chocolate communion that concludes the program. As Lucy says in Peanuts, “All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” Lay leader, Peter Pierson. Accompanist, Laurel Holmes.

How does Zen practice help people negotiate the ups and downs of every day life? Zen Master Bon Soeng (Jeff Kitzes) is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice and a Zen Buddhist abbot and guiding teacher of the Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley, California. His specialty is the integration of Zen Buddhism and Western Psychotherapy. He has been practicing Zen since 1975, and began practicing with Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1979. He received transmission in April 2001. In addition to his work at the Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley, he is the guiding teacher of Cold Mountain Zen Center in Fairbanks. Lay leader, Susan Kessler. Accompanist, Marsha Sousa.

 

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February 7 is the next Lo Carbon Sunday. Comment on this post to offer or request a ride to the service. Read More »