Worship
Worship Services at First UU
Join us for Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Holly Baylies
You can find us at 109 Waring Road, Syracuse, NY 13224
SUMMER SERVICES (July - August) are at 10 a.m.
These are lay-led services that touch on a variety of topics
Services are in Fellowship Hall at 109 Waring Road, Syracuse, NY 13224
If you have questions, please feel free to call the church office at(315) 446 - 5940.
Dress is casual and can range from a coat and tie to shorts.
The church is handicapped accessible with handicap spaces available in both the upper and lower parking lots.
Who We Are
"We bid you welcome to this house.
A quote from the Unitarian Church in Dublin
It is a place we love and which we tend with care.
We do not ask what you believe, or expect you to think the way we do,
But only that you will live a kindly, helpful life, with dignity proper to a human being.
Preachers here have the task of presenting religion freely, fearlessly and Faithfully.
Hearers have the responsibility of testing what they hear,
not only with their critical minds but also in the living of their everyday lives.
The members of this congregation welcome the support of all who believe that
religion is wider than any sect and deeper than any than any set of opinions,
and all who might find in their friendship, strength and encouragement
for daily living."
A Message From Our Minister (Rev. Holly Baylies)
We are a joyful and very diverse congregation, coming from many religious traditions and backgrounds. At First UU we strive to bring to our worship services a variety of topics, music and spiritual experiences that invite our members and friends to explore his or her own spirituality at its deepest level. We are blessed with an extraordinary Music Director, Rebecca Karpoff, a growing and enthusiastic choir, and many talented guest accompanists.
WHAT I BELIEVE I believe that we were created by a source greater than ourselves. I do not know if that source was intelligent and conscious or inorganic and inert. I have come to understand creation as the changing seasons of nature, the evolution of new life, and I am in awe of the intricate balance of all living things in communion with one another as each cycle begins, comes to fruition, and ends. I believe that the essence of that source of creation is instilled in all things. It is the nature of human beings to seek their own understanding of that spirit of life, individually. It is the role of the Unitarian Universalist Church, and my role, to nurture and to encourage that personal search within a community of free thinkers for that which some choose to call God. I believe that we are all the sons and daughters of this spirit or source of life and there is not one among us, past or present, that is more holy or sacred than the other. I believe that worship and the recognition of many great spiritual, philosophical, and practical thinkers contribute to my personal quest for thoughts and ideas which enhance my sense of purpose and meaning, and give strength when that meaning may become clouded or obscure. I believe the expression of my understanding of life comes alive through meditation, through the sharing of thoughts, through enjoying and participating in the arts, through worship, through community, family, friends and intimate moments with one another. They are experiences which sustain us all throughout the course of our lives, events which have contributed to the views I have adopted. I believe in the efficacy of the power of the rites of passage only through the sincerity of the intent of those participating, whose deepest thoughts are honest and true to themselves and to those who are affected by their promises and commitments. I believe that eternal life is what the living carry in their hearts for the deceased. At this time, I have no evidence spiritually, experientially or intellectually, that supports an afterlife as a place where souls congregate to await judgment or the arrival of loved ones. However, I would like to believe that such a place exists. These are the principles of my faith that have held true throughout my adult life. I look forward to the challenges of the future, to the events ahead, that will further enlighten my perception of life and of faith. Reprinted from the Syracuse Post Standard, Saturday, November 29, 2008. By Helen C. "Holly" Baylies, Contributing writer.
Archive of Rev. Holly's Sermons
You can read all of Reverend Holly's sermons here
You can read a collection of our lay-led sermons here
Typical Order of Service
First UU worship services include announcements, words of welcome, chalice lighting and affirmation, focus on youth, sharing of joys and sorrows, meditation, various readings, a sermon, offeratory, and closing words. Music and singing play an integral role in our worship service. Children participate in the beginning of the service before going to their religious education classes.
Our Principles and Covenant
Our seven principles guide us in our spiritual journeys and our covenant with one another is the means by which we share our differing views and our opinions with one another.
- 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 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.
