What do you believe?

We are a creedless faith. However, there are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations 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.

Unitarian Universalism 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 neighbors 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-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

These principles and sources of faith are the backbone of our religious community.

Do you have a minister?

Currently we are working with Rev. Laurie Bushbaum, our consultant minister. She visits our congregation once a month to prepare us for a minister of our own, to provide a regular Sunday presence, and to provide pastoral care.

Between her visits, our services are coordinated by our Worship Committee. We bring in speakers from other UU fellowships or from within the region. In the absence of outside speakers, we minister to each other.

What is the service like?

The service goes from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. It usually involves readings from various influencial writers, philosophers, religious texts, poetry, etc. We sing from hymnals with musical accompaniment. Our presenters talk for 20-30 minutes. We have some materials from the services archived here..

It is followed by fellowship/social time in the foyer with (great) coffee that wraps up around noon. At 11:15, everyone is invited to join our Discussion Circle, a friendly discussion with the presenter.

Are you visiting with your child?

Children under 6 can go to child care after children's time if the parents desire for the remainder of the service. Our school-age children (K-12) typically sit with their friends or family during the service, then go to classrooms where they are grouped with children of similar ages. Please visit our RE pages for more information.

How do I get copies of the speaker's message?

Looking for something you heard at church recently? Want to get an idea of what our presenters talk about? We have some sermons and other references from the services archived here.

Where do I park?

Parking is available outside the chapel entrance on the south side of Dow Rummel, off of Madison St. There is handicapped-accessible parking and access. For a printable PDF map that includes where to park and the locations of various spaces that we utilize, please click here.

What's all this about a move?

We sold our home at 9th & Cliff in 2005 because we were growng and couldn't accomodate all our needs. We have relocated to the Halladay-Peterson Chapel in Sioux Falls, SD. There's plenty of additional room to grow, both for our children and adults. We miss our little pink church, but it's an exciting time, and we look forward to the future!

How do I join?

We're glad you're interested in our congregation! Joining the All Souls Church is a simple affair: our membership committee will guide you through the process that includes an orientation meeting about the history of UU-ism and then signing our membership book at our next in-gathering service. For additional information on becoming a friend of the church or becoming a member, please contact All Souls.