Your First Visit to UUCA – Welcome!

In-person and Online Weekly Services

9:00 am EST (In-person only)

11:15 am EST (In-person  & Zoom)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/9691712043 

(Click for past sermons)

Whoever you are, wherever you come from, whomever you love, you are welcome here!
– Hal Walker, Unitarian Universalist Composer

What do we believe?

Unitarian Universalism is a faith that believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every single person. We also believe that we are all interconnected in some way. That means that we value your presence, no matter who you are, where you’ve come from, whom you love or how you identify. You are welcome here and this faith is enriched by your presence. 

Our historical roots date back to the Protestant Reformation (16th century), but the ideas of freedom of religious expression and the belief in human worth and dignity date extend further back in history. Unitarians and Universalists were two separate faith traditions until they decided to merge in 1961 as “Unitarian Universalists.”   Our faith tradition has been influenced by liberal Christianity, Judaism, secular and religious humanism, earth-based spirituality as well as Buddhism.  We are open to many expressions of the spirit, and our worship traditions often reflect that diversity. 

In 1985, Unitarian Universalists adopted what’s known as “The 7 Principles.  They describe the values which support our faith.  More recently, there is a movement to add an 8th Principle which links our anti-racist and anti-oppression commitments to our foundational principles.  UUCA adopted the 8th Principle in April 2018 as a way to embed the anti-racist and anti-oppressive work in all we do.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis (UUCA) has approximately 400 members, plus children and youth.  There are  1,200 UU churches in the continental United States, with about 150,000 members.  Unitarian Universalist churches can also be found in Canada and around the globe, with a large concentration of churches in our historical center – Hungary, Romania/Transylvania.

For a fuller description of Unitarian Universalism, visit the UUA’s website.

Visiting the UU Church of Annapolis (UUCA)

Directions to UUCA 

333 Dubois Road Annapolis MD 21401

Click here for Google Maps

Directions:

From US Rt. 50 (going East): Take Exit 24 (Rowe Blvd/Bestgate Rd). The exit ramp splits; bear left to the light. Turn left onto Bestgate Rd (this is where Rowe Blvd becomes Bestgate Rd). Go under Rt. 50 and drive to the first traffic light; turn right. Turn left at the next street, which is Dubois Rd. Turn left into the church driveway (333 – look for our sign) and follow the drive to the top of the hill, where you will see the main entrance. There is also a lower entrance (next to the playground), and overflow parking in the adjacent Fahs House parking lot (1920 N. Lawrence Ave.).

From US Rt. 50 (going West): Take Exit 24B; follow the exit road onto Bestgate Rd. Follow the remaining directions above.

From Annapolis Mall: Follow Bestgate Rd toward the Navy Stadium. UUCA sits behind the St. Mary’s Saints athletic field. You can turn left off Bestgate Rd. onto N. Lawrence Ave. (just before the stadium, look for our green sign) or at the light following the stadium, which is N. Bestgate Rd. From N. Bestgate, make the first left onto Dubois Rd., and then turn left into the church driveway (333 – look for our green sign).

Entrance and Parking

You can access the church grounds either via Dubois road or from Lawrence drive off of Bestgate Road behind the football field and our neighboring church. We have multiple parking lots available in front of the church and behind our second building (a yellow residential building called The Fahs House).

Welcoming Table

When you first walk in, feel free to meet any of our friendly greeters. The welcoming table has information and packets for you to take. Our Newcomers packet includes the most recent rendition of our Highlights Magazine, Info on our newcomers classes, some free accessories (pen and bookmarks) to take home. We ask our newcomers to fill out a Blue card with your name, phone number, or email address so that we may get to know you better. Feel free to drop the card in the offertory plate or at the welcoming table after the morning service.

Dress

Wear whatever you would like. Some people wear a suit or business casual attire, others are more casual.  We invite you to be your authentic self and express your style whatever that may be.

Worship

Unitarian Universalism has a 500+ year liberal religious heritage. Through the scope of history, we have always sought to draw the circle wider and wider to include a wealth of tradition, wisdom, and knowledge. Our Worship incorporates a blend of readings, singing, meditation and prayer, sermons, and ritual. We value a pluralistic approach to spirituality and seek to include aspects of Jewish, Christian, Humanist, Buddhist, Pagan, Earth-centered, and purely Unitarian Universalist traditions in our services. This means that liturgy, messages, and sacred text will vary.  We find that this can enrich both our personal beliefs as well as foster a communal sense of inspiration and awe.

 Social Time/Coffee Hour

We invite you to stay after the service for a time of coffee and refreshments. This is a chance to ask our greeters and ushers questions, and for our community to learn a little bit about you.

Middle Hour and After Hour

We have Faith Formation classes for children, youth, and adults of all ages. Classes are listed in our weekly e-newsletter, In the Know, or on our calendar on the homepage. Membership classes are specifically crafted for newcomers to learn more about the church, Unitarian Universalism as a religion, and our community. Classes are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

Middle and After Hour classes happen depending on the current schedule of worship services. You can see what time our services currently are on our home page. Middle hour Classes are 10:10 am between our 9 am and 11:15 am services.  After Hour classes are at 11:10 am after our 10:00 am morning service.

Getting Involved

We encourage those who have been attending UUCA for a while to get involved at UUCA – a “try before you buy” approach.  There are choirs to join, social justice teams to serve on, practice groups to deepen your spiritual faith, and other activities happening at the church each week. Feel free to check out the calendar and weekly schedule to see what is going on. We know you’ll find open minds, hearts, and hands here and will build lasting connections and deep friendships.

Contact the office for questions and info. 410-266-80444 info@uuannpolis.org