What We Believe

Mission Statement

We gather together to: Nurture the Spirit. Engage the Mind. Inspire Action.

Ends Statements

To meet the moment, we will grow Unitarian Universalism in ourselves and the world by:

1. Deepening lifelong spirituality and faith formation within our First Church community.

2. Cultivating a multigenerational community of belonging, joy, and care, including by leaning into anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multicultural work.

3. Building capacity in our congregation for love-centered action through practicing moral leadership and followership, guided by those most impacted by social, economic, and environmental injustice.

These Ends Statements were developed by the Board of the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, based on input from church members, in 2026.

 

Values

At the heart of First Church, we value:

  • Wonder
  • Authentic Connection
  • Love
  • Justice

What our Church Stands for

As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the following shared values, all centered around love:

  • Interdependence: We honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it.
  • Pluralism: We are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
  • Justice: We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all feel welcome and can thrive.
  • Transformation: We adapt to the changing world.
  • Generosity: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
  • Equity: We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.

Unitarian Universalists promote these values as strong values and moral guides. These are not dogma or doctrine, but a guide for those who choose to participate in Unitarian Universalist communities. The sources for these values come from the world’s religions, from humanist teachings based on reason and science, and from other spiritual and ethical traditions.

Unitarian Universalist History

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religious tradition. The Unitarian part traces back to Europe in the 1500s, with the belief in the unity of God rather than a trinity. Universalism originated with the belief in universal salvation, the idea that everyone will be saved and no one is eternally damned.

In 1961, Unitarians and Universalists merged into the Unitarian Universalist Association. Each of the 1,000-plus congregations around the world are democratic, govern themselves, and has its own unique character.

In the United States, prominent Unitarians and Universalists have included four U.S. presidents, many signers of the Declaration of Independence, and influential historical figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Susan B. Anthony, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Clara Barton, Frank Lloyd Wright, Whitney M. Young, and Adlai Stevenson.

Unitarian Universalist Organizations

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) represents the interests of more than 1,000 Unitarian Universalist congregations. It grew out of the 1961 consolidation of two religious denominations: the Universalists, organized in 1793, and the Unitarians, organized in 1825.

MidAmerica Region includes 194 congregations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Michigan, western Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

UU World is the publication of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.

Winter Holiday Decorations, First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee