In September 2010, the congregation of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin approved this statement of values, mission, ends, and a covenant of healthy relations, to guide the church in its operations and decisions, and to guide the lives of its members.
Our Values
- Transcendence – To connect with wonder and awe of the unity of life
- Community – To connect with joy, sorrow, and service with those whose lives we touch
- Compassion – To treat ourselves and others with love
- Courage – To live lives of honesty, vulnerability, and beauty
- Transformation – To pursue the growth that changes our lives and heals our world
Our Mission
At First UU Church of Austin, we gather in community to
- nourish souls
- transform lives
- and do justice.
Ends
- First UU Church of Austin is an intentionally hospitable community where:
- All people are treated with respect and dignity
- All people of goodwill are welcomed
- People are supported in times of joy and need
- People find connection with one another in fellowship
- We are fully engaged and generous with time, treasure and talent
- We invite people of goodwill to find a spiritual home with us
- We engage as UUs in public life
- First UU Church of Austin nourishes souls and transforms lives by:
- Engaging and supporting members in spiritual practice and growth
- Providing worship, programs and activities that awaken meaning and transcendence
- Ensuring that members have a caring, supportive and safe place to rekindle the spirit
- First UU Church of Austin witnesses to justice in our personal lives and beyond, by:
- Practicing liberal religious values in the public arena
- Empowering all people to access the richness of life
- Providing leadership to the greater UUA community to expand the reach of our movement
- Partnering with the interfaith community to live our shared values
A Covenant of Healthy Relations
As a religious community, we promise:
- To nurture the spiritual growth of people of all ages in our church.
- To keep communications with one another direct, honest, and respectful in a spirit of compassion, love, and trust.
- To support our church with generous gifts of time, talent, and money in gratitude for the fellowship, joy, and inspiration we receive.
- To be present with others through life’s inevitable transitions.
- To make our church a safe place to express our deepest fears and our greatest joys.
- To forgive ourselves and others when we fall short of expectations, showing good humor and the optimism required for moving forward and calling ourselves back into covenant.
- To engage with the larger world to promote justice and peace.
We acknowledge and commit ourselves to the work of sustaining our beloved community, welcoming all in good faith, and ministering to each other.
Thus do we covenant with one another.