Welcome!
Please join us for Sunday morning worship beginning at 10:30, then get to know us after the service when we enjoy fair-trade coffee and light snacks. Dress is casual - jeans are fine!
Children are welcome and join us for the beginning part of all services. Children five and older usually stay with their family for the first part of the service, including a “Story for All Ages.” After the story, the children are sung out of the main sanctuary and go to their spiritual exploration classes. We do hold multi-generational services will include children for the entire service. We provide childcare for infants and toddlers and offer spiritual education classes for for kids 5 and up.
We are very proud of our active Spiritual Exploration Program — many of our parents play a critical role in determining the education of our youth. If you are a first-time visitor with a small child, please reach out to the greeters when you come in so that they may let staff know you are here and give you a tour of our classrooms and child-care area. We want both parents and children to have a good experience at CUUB — please let us know how we can help!
At CUUB, we encourage people to live the questions. We don't claim to have all the answers, and we don't tell you what to believe. We are a community of people from different backgrounds who come together to support each other and search for truth and meaning together. CUUB offers a place of comfort for people whose spirituality doesn't always fit within the confines of traditional religion, or within any religion.
Our minister, as well as guest speakers, ministers from other congregations, and our own members provide sermons on Sundays. Sermon topics are varied, from environmental, social justice, spiritual, historical, and philosophical topics. We like to say, "Come back next week for something completely different!"
Meet Reverend Julie
Hey, Julie's got a question for you... why did the Unitarian Universalist cross the road? ... They wanted to affirm the chicken’s right to choose its own path! Julie is most excited to find out what worship means to YOU! Why do you come to church, and how do you see the church creating more justice and love in the Universe?
She hopes she sees you on Sunday!
Julie is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, raised as a UU in the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit. In 2015, she completed her internship at the First Unitarian Society of Madison. In 2014, Julie worked a chaplain resident at the Mayo Clinic and graduated with an Master of Divinity from the Graduate Theological Union.
Julie has a passion for spiritual exploration, social justice, inclusive community, oxford commas, and inter-generational worship. Julie has a theatre background and tends to be upbeat and enthusiastic. She considers herself somewhat of a church junkie. If there is a service, she wants to be there. From Sufi Dziker, to Catholic Mass, to Pagan ritual, she has reverence for and finds rejuvenation in most all experiences of the divine.
Church and ritual are two of Julie's favorite things. She also loves, singing, taking long walks in pretty places, the race horse Seabiscuit, bright colors, campfires with hot cocoa, live theatre, impromptu 80’s dance parties in her living room, the television show Survivor, karaoke, cooking and eating delicious things... and people. People are actually her absolute favorite thing on the planet, and she feels honored to serve a church with so many gorgeous souls to connect and share with.
Julie Brock, minister
Membership / How to Join
CUUB is a growing and thriving congregation of people who come together for different reasons, yet still respect each individual's spiritual path. As we grow, we try to make sure that each new member finds his or her place within our congregation while also understanding the needs of the congregation. As we build our community, we welcome you to join us. These are the stepping stones to membership:
Understand Our Faith
Better understand our faith and congregation by attending the “Intro to UU” class. Before becoming a member, it is important to know the basic principles of Unitarian Universalism, a bit about the history of our non-creedal faith, and the common concerns and workings of this congregation. We offer an "Intro to UU" class several times a year; please contact the Membership Team to find out when the next class is and to sign up.
Consider Your Commitment
Consider carefully your commitment to the congregation and the UU faith. After learning more about our faith and congregation, we ask that you examine your values and determine whether you can commit yourself to the work of this congregation.
Attend & Participate
Attend worship services and participate in congregational activities. We gather together as a community and connect with one another by sharing the common experience offered by Sunday services.
An important aspect of membership is active participation in the larger congregation. You will find it easier to meet people and feel part of the congregation if you also join in small groups within the congregation. There are many diverse activities in social justice, children’s religious exploration, men's and women's groups, etc.
Make Financial Pledge
Make a financial pledge to the congregation. All active members are required to make a financial pledge (or obtain a waiver) to the congregation according to their means. Our primary source of support comes from our members who make financial gifts to the congregation.
By pledging, you are demonstrating your commitment to the programs and activities of your congregation; this allows us to budget for the coming year. When submitting your membership enrollment form, you will be asked to complete a pledge form.
Complete an Intent to Join Form
Complete an Intent to Join form and submit it to our Membership Committee Chair. Once you have submitted your enrollment form, we will speak with you about taking the final step of signing our Membership Book in the presence of the congregation.
Sign our membership book
Sign our membership book in the presence of our congregation. We hope that you will take pride in adding your signature to our membership book that holds the names of members of this congregation back to 2000. Our congregation holds welcoming ceremonies for new members during our Sunday services several times each year. You will be invited to take part in a welcoming ceremony so that members of the congregation may officially welcome you to the Community Unitarian Universalists in Brighton.
Please know that you are welcome to visit us for as long as you like, and participate in congregational life as much as you would like. Very few activities or roles are exclusive to members only (voting, participation in the finance committee, serving on the board of trustees, acting as a team chair, etc.). We have many 'Friends of CUUB' who aren't ready to make their membership official, and we care for and embrace them as part of our community.
