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Our
Minister
Rev. Elizabeth Stevens |
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Be ours a religion which, like sunshine,
goes everywhere;
Its temple, all space;
Its shrine, the good heart;
Its creed, all truth;
Its ritual, works of love;
Its profession of faith, divine living.
-Theodore Parker |
There are certain spiritual issues that every human being must grapple with, regardless of faith tradition. What is the meaning of life? What happens when we die? Why must we all suffer? How do we best care for the earth? How do we live together in peace?
Unitarian Universalists believe the uncomfortable truth is that there is no one right answer to any of these questions. We find wisdom in all of the world’s major religions, in literature and philosophy, in the natural world, and in each other’s experiences, but ultimately, we believe each individual has both the right and the responsibility to search for truth and meaning. Our goal is not to teach one particular path to truth, but to encourage and support one another as we find our own individual path.
In our highly scientific and secular world, it’s tempting to try to deny or ignore our spiritual side. Denial might be a viable strategy short term, but these sorts of questions tend to keep bubbling up over the course of a lifetime. Eventually, we must give them time and attention, or risk losing a vital part of what makes us human.
Whoever you are, wherever you are on your particular life’s journey, if you are looking for a religious community that values the questions without dictating the answers, you are welcome here.
You must be willing to enter with an open mind. You will be sitting next to people who have radically different beliefs than you. Here, Christians, Pagans, Atheists, Humanists, Buddhists and Jews worship side by side. What holds us together is a deep and abiding respect for one another. We strive to speak our truth without needing to change anyone’s mind, and to listen without needing to agree.
You must be willing to enter with an open heart. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. We embrace and value diversity.
And you must be willing to live as if your life matters. It is not what we believe or how we feel or who we are that saves us. It is how we choose to be and act in our world.
As the minister of this beloved community, I freely admit, there’s quite a bit I don’t know. But this I know for certain: Whenever we reach out to someone with respect and compassion, it makes a difference. My hands and the hands of the members of the Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship are reaching out, ready to welcome you.
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| Rev. Elizabeth Stevens is a graduate of Yale University and Starr King School for the Ministry. She has served First Parish Church in Duxbury, MA, as their Intern Minister, and served as the Assistant Minister at the UU Church of Marblehead. She has also spent time as a hospital chaplain and as an Itinerant UU Preacher in diverse congregations in New England and the Metro DC area. Rev. Liz, her husband, Graham, and their two sons moved to the Kitsap Peninsula in August of 2004. |
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 4418 Perry Ave NE
PO Box 2015
Bremerton, Washington
98310
360.377.4724
admin@kuuf.org
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