Our final assignment for this course was to attend a church service of our choosing over the weekend. Dupage Unitarian Universalist Church is tucked away a couple blocks from my home, and I literally run past it whenever I am looking to tack another mile onto one of my runs. It just so happens to also be my polling place for elections. Based on the little bit that I knew about Unitarian Universalism before attending a service, the unitarian church had always intrigued me because it welcomes people of all backgrounds & faiths (or lack thereof) and is focused on doing good rather than studying a sacred text, so this past weekend seemed like the perfect occasion to finally walk through those doors to do something other than vote. DuPage UU's highly inclusive, community-based mission and vision were evident during the service, through our interactions with members, and simply by looking at everything on display from signage to pamphlets. The service was led by the Men's Group and was comprised of a chalice lighting, opening words, 6 mini-homilies, an offertory, a few secular music selections, and closing words. Since we visited on Father's Day, the topic of the entire service was, appropriately, "relationships between parents and their adult children." For the mini-homilies, church members shared personal stories, building community by divulging intimate, inner dialogues filled with raw emotion. The service was a harmonious fusion of faiths. One congregation member mentioned mindfulness and made reference to Tibetan monks and Buddhist texts, while another member talked about the challenges of being raised by two devout Catholics as parents and not feeling like he is able to tell them he is a pagan. We learned by talking with one of the members that the pastor actually has the summers off, so the church members write and conduct the summer services themselves. Wow! Talk about a strong community that takes the lead and values a sense of belonging and diverse beliefs within the congregation! Thank you, Dupage Unitarian Universalist Church! Some of us may be back in the near future to visit your beloved, progressive community again. :)
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