About the Unitarian Church

No two Unitarian ceremonies are the same as no-one has the exact same beliefs. With weddings, we help couples plan their own service, from picking their readings to writing their own vows. We also don’t expect anything of a couple other than they be truly committed to their relationship as life partners. Whether you are divorced, of different faiths or same sex, we welcome all couples wishing to get married in our church.

Unitarian funerals celebrate the life of the deceased and even if the minister did not know them personally, they will make every effort to make the service reflective of the person’s qualities and beliefs, often done through consultations with their loved ones. We also do not use the emotional vulnerability of those in mourning to impose our beliefs on them.

Yes, both in our services and outlook. Many Unitarians see their faith as a spiritual journey of growth, harmony and understanding, involving both themselves and the communities and world around them.

Makanh Elizabeth Morris, a Unitarian Minister in Wyoming, USA put it well when she wrote “spirituality for me is about connections, with people, with animals, with nature, with energies deeper than the human eye can perceive. My spiritual awakenings occur as I touch and am touched by other parts of our miraculous web of existence.”

Unitarians believe all are entitled to hold their own views and to practice their own faith freely and so welcome everyone. Stories and readings from other faith traditions are frequently incorporated into our services and we embrace wisdom from other faiths.

Unitarians see human sexuality as a perfectly natural and healthy dimension of our existence. We recognise and value its role in bringing intimacy, tenderness and pleasure to loving relationships.

Unitarians embrace the whole spectrum of sexuality and gender. For this reason, we would affirm the right of all to give full emotional and physical expression to their sexuality.

Unitarians are much concerned with environmental issues. Historically, we have been deeply interested both in the scientific study of our natural environment and in seeing it as a spiritual resource – alive with the divine.

Throughout our history, Unitarians have stood for inclusivity, reason and social justice including gender equality (we’ve had women ministers for more than 100 years and were, in fact, the first church to do so), gay rights (we’ve performed same sex blessings for more than 30 years and were the first to perform wedding ceremonies) and the abolition of slavery.

We support equality of respect and opportunity for everyone. We totally oppose all oppression and discrimination, including on the grounds of any arbitrary or accidental factors such as race or gender, sexual orientation or religious belief.