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Hi Everyone, It is usual for me to say this, but I went to Church yesterday. I think it was 4 years ago when I finally told my mother I wouldn't be going to church on Christmas Eve anymore. I loved making her happy but it just felt wrong to me. That was the only time I went to church annually since my teens. I nervously walked in to the 11 AM service not knowing what to expect. Previously, I read through some of the sermons a few weeks ago and was blown away with a sermon based on Dan Dennet and consciousness. I thought any church that mentions Dennet positively has to be worth checking out. Yesterday it felt right so I went with my Starbucks coffee in hand. I timed it so I didn't have to talk to anyone in the beginning of the service after saying a few good mornings to the ushers. On the way I noticed a poster that said thank God for evolution. (I knew this wasn't Pat Robertson's church). The sanctuary looked familiar enough with stained glass and lectern, but no altar. There were about 20 to 30 people there with families. The opening was a ceremony when anyone who wanted to could light a candle and say something for hope, joy, fear etc. That was cool. I of course stayed safety in my seat trying to stay unnoticed. A few opening remarks where made and a hymn with a "live in the present" theme was sung. I quickly remembered the standing up and down for hymns meme. Then it came time to welcome everyone. (Darn). They immediately asked if there were any visitors. Man, I just wanted to observe but now the pressure was on to stand up if you were a visitor. I stood up with a few others. Others said they haven't' been to church is several years, too. When it was my turn, (they handed me a wireless mic) and I of course said hi, and I was a little nervous. I choose not to lie and said I was a secular humanist and read a sermon online and decided to check out the service. With a great relief no one gasped and I was welcomed. We shook hands with everyone after the introductions and several people came up to me and said they were humanist's too. The sermon was based on Paul Tilich's writings on death and finality. I remember reading Tilich's work in undergrad and even then enjoyed the bible "literalist" struggle with Tilich's liberalism. This was sermon about dying and there was no mention of the after life. There were reasons for living life with more love, peace, understanding, and tolerance. (I didn't feel the supernatural pressures and I thoroughly enjoyed the sermon.) There were more hymns that were not quite familiar to me but had love themes like come walk in the rain with me, share a rose , etc.... (What happened to onward christian soldiers?) There was one main prayer and the minister prefaced the prayer by saying when I say God I mean "truth, love, and a sense of everything." I interpreted the third as the cosmos which is Einstein's and Spinoza's God. I believe in that God. After the service I meet Rev. Abernathy and he said he has worked in the past with Paul Kurtz form CFI. What! I told him and several others to check out this board. I hope a few log on. There was coffee and good food available after the service. I have to say everyone there made me feel very welcome and warm. I met the very nice director of children's education which I glanced at the teaching material which happened to be the gospels according to the Simpsons. The church is close to me and I plan to go somewhat regularity. I don't know if I am quite ready for total commitment and it is still very "churchy" for me. I missed the adult class before the service and I have a feeling I would have enjoyed it. I will write back once I have experienced that, too. In the spirt of skepticism, I have to say one thing I may disagree with in this UU movement. This may ultimately be why I do not become a member. Looking on their website and the sermon, they are big big time tolerance people. The gay and lesbian community are very welcome. That is awesome and so unlike the religious right it blows me away... However, they practice religious tolerance. I think religious tolerance is why we have the problems of faith today. I am going to ask more about that next time I go. Of course, I am tolerant too on all civil rights issues. After all I just speak words and never want to force someone out of religion. That wouldn't work anyway. However, I think the spell of faith needs to be broken and I am not afraid to say it. That taboo of unprovable claims is very important today especially in Islam. Elvis is not alive and when people make claims that he is they pay a social price. I think the miracles of all the religions need to be challenged on an intellectual and scientific level. Islam goes crazy over the slightest criticism such as puppets named Muhammad, I don't think tolerance is the answer. I think education and peaceful rejection of literal interpretations are the way out of Eden dependence into the enlightenment interdependence. I also think that evangelical churches should ultimately evolve into something like UU. Humans need togetherness and support. They build communities and safe places for their children and have secular payoffs. The charity work and networks could someday lead to proper education. I am starting to think UU is part of the\ solution. Here is a link to their website: http://www.uufortwayne.org/