Our Mission and Vision

Our Statement of Ministry

Believing that our ministries will flourish more abundantly within the beloved community, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church offers a sanctuary of spiritual freedom where…

  • we celebrate and encourage the diversity of heritage, culture, beliefs, and experience shaping our individual visions of truth;
  • we translate our compassion into sharing, our longings for peace and justice into action;
  • we challenge ourselves to live our Unitarian Universalist principles by bringing healing and hope to the larger community;
  • we honor the transcendent mystery of creation by nurturing the planet and all who live upon it

Love is the doctrine of this church, the quest for truth is its sacrament,
and service is its prayer.
 To dwell together in peace, to seek knowledge in freedom,
to serve humanity in fellowship,
Thus do we covenant.

THE CHALICE

A flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot) is a primary symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. Many of our congregations kindle a flaming chalice in gatherings and worships and feature the chalice symbol prominently.

Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II. To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.

To Unitarian Universalists today the flaming chalice is a symbol of hope, the sacred, the quest for truth, the warmth of community, the light of reason, and more.

We light a flaming chalice in worship to create a reverent space for reflection, prayer, meditation, and singing.