Sunday service 10:30 am (year-round). We are a congregation with a long history in Halifax, beginning in 1837 as a small Universalist Church. More than fifty years ago (as Unitarianism and Universalism started to come together) the Unitarian designation was added and we became the Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax located in our present building (5500 Inglis Street). We are the only Unitari
an Universalist (UU) congregation in Nova Scotia and the most eastern in Canada. Members come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life and total about 90. Some travel a considerable distance to attend our services. Many of our members have previously been members of another religious denomination, usually Christian, but some have no previous affiliation. There may be almost as many theological viewpoints within our congregation as there are members but majorities agree that we come together primarily to celebrate shared principles and values, for a sense of community and fellowship, for the intellectual stimulation, for spiritual growth, for meditation, for music and to support and encourage social action. For most members, these varied objectives are not considered contradictory or mutually exclusive. All age groups are represented in our congregation and we have an active Religious Exploration Program for children and youth headed by our Directer of Religious Exploration Tanya Bilsbury. In addition to our Directer of Religious Exploration the congregation is served by our minister the Rev. Norm Horofker, and Music Director Deborah Wiggins who are also an integral part of our weekly services which are held year round on Sundays at 10:30 am. We are a member and designated Welcoming Congregation of the Canadian Unitarian Council (http://cuc.ca/) and as such we welcome and support each other (including LGBTQ individuals) in covenantal relationship, and find guldens and draw inspiration from the UU seven principles and six sources which are:
Principles
We, the member congregations of the Canadian Unitarian Council, covenant to affirm and promote:
* the inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
* acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* a free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
* respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Sources
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:
* direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
* words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
* wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
* Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbours as ourselves;
* Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
* spiritual teachings of Earth-centred traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support. Also our discussion oriented Facebook group is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/UUchurchofhalifax/ and we are on Twitter at https://twitter.com/uuhalifax.
