What is LCUUC
All About?
At LCUUC, Our aim is to create an inclusive space where everyone is embraced, respected, and can find encouragement in their spiritual journey.
SERVICES: Sunday mornings are uplifting and inspiring worship services. We welcome in guest presenters to share their gifts as well. Our services are open to everyone and there is not a dress code or expectation.
EMPOWERING YOUTH: Our youth programs are designed to empower and engage the younger members of our community. From educational workshops to fun activities and events, we provide a safe and nurturing environment for young individuals to explore their spirituality and personal growth.
SERVE & MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Discover meaningful ways to serve and make a difference in the lives of others through our diverse volunteer opportunities. Whether it's lending a helping hand in the community, assisting with events, or joining our outreach programs, there's a place for you to contribute and positively impact the world.
SUPPORTING COMMUNITY: At LCUUC, we are committed to supporting our community in times of need. Our outreach initiatives aim to provide assistance and resources to those facing challenges, ensuring that everyone feels valued, supported, and embraced in their time of need.
GET INVOLVED & CONNECT: Ready to make a difference? Join us in our mission to foster love, compassion, and positivity within our community. Together, we can create a stronger, more connected community that lifts each other up and embodies our shared values. Check us out Sunday at 10AM.
Our Core Values
Unitarian Universalism is a faith rooted in love, justice, and
the dignity of all people. Rather than requiring a shared creed,
we are united by shared values that guide how we live and
connect.
We affirm the worth of every person, the importance of compassion,
the search for truth and meaning, and our responsibility to one
another and the planet. We believe in justice, equity, and building
a world where all can thrive.
These values shape our worship, our work, and our relationships—inviting us to grow spiritually while making a difference in the world.
Love
Central to UU values, love inspires compassion, empathy, and connection among individuals and communities.
Pluralism
Valuing diverse perspectives and beliefs, UUs foster inclusive communities that honor individual experiences.
Equity
Commitment to fairness and justice ensures that everyone has access to
opportunities and resources.
Generosity
Practicing kindness and sharing resources strengthens communal bonds and supports those in need.
Interdependence
Recognizing the interconnectedness of all life, UUs strive to live in harmony with the environment and each other.
Justice
Actively working towards social justice, UUs engage in efforts to dismantle systemic inequalities and promote human rights.
Transformation
Embracing personal and societal growth, UUs encourage continuous learning and adaptation.
LCUUC Covenant for Productive Discussion
Healthy discussions, involving multiple points of view promote creative thinking, result in more equitable decisions and foster variety within the LCUUC community. By encouraging different viewpoints, we strengthen bonds of trust, foster curiosity, deepen compassion, and demonstrate fair and equitable processes.
We therefore covenant:
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To promise that the voices of all our members have worth and value.
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To listen, be willing to learn, and be willing to rethink when making choices in the best interests of our LCUUC community.
We will remind ourselves to:
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Consider ideas that differ from our own and not take disagreements personally.
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Understand how personal experiences influence our opinions.
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Recognize that we share common goals and are working for the common good.
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Seek to understand before being understood.
We agree to avoid unhealthy behaviors including:
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Triangulation.
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Inquiries without advocacy.
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Unfair or disparaging messages to others.
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Walking away from a discussion before it has ended.
If covenant is broken, we members of LCUUC agree to:
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Forgive ourselves and others and agree to work towards reconciliation.
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Honor the appropriate channels to pursue concerns.
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Listen deeply and with an open heart and mind.
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Communicate directly and respectfully while addressing individual concerns with the person involved and speak only for ourselves.
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Find space for disagreement and work to find common ground.
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Assume good intentions.
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Ask for and accept help and nourishment.
Above all, we agree that LCUUC is a place where we:
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Abide by our covenants.
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Act out of love.
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Promote a sense of community for all.
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Are free to seek the sacred and express it.
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Can count on supportive comfort when voicing our ideas.
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Will grow and learn through our healthy explorations of diverse ideas.
Members of LCUUC also affirm, promote, and agree to abide by the UU Principles when providing any service for, acting on behalf of, or interacting with others within the LCUUC community.
v. 8-23-2021
Welcoming Congregation
We are a Welcoming Congregation! We offer gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons a religious home free of discrimination. We affirm same-sex marriage and the equal rights of LGBTQ+ / TGQNB* persons. The Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for Unitarian Universalist congregations that want to take intentional steps to become more welcoming and inclusive of people with marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities. To read more about Welcoming Congregations, go to UUA Welcome.
We endeavor to offer a safe space for everyone and have an ADA compliant non-gendered restroom.
LCUUC FAQ
Q. What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist?
A. Very generally, Unitarian Universalists have agreed to live by seven principles and have identified six sources of religious tradition. These principles and sources have been arrived at through a democratic process involving our membership and may occasionally be amended the same way. Detailed answers to this question and others about our beliefs, tenets, and history can be found here: more details). A good source for answers to these questions can be found in a book called 100 Questions that Non-Members ask about Universal Unitarianism by John Sias from UU Church of Nashua.
Q. What is available for children?
A. Family Ministry is central to our mission and available during Sunday worship. Visitors are welcome. Our nursery is open to infants and younger children, while our Family Ministry program is designed for school aged children. Contact the Coordinator of Family Ministry (CFM) for more information at cfm@lcuuc.org.
Q. Will you take up a collection?
A. Yes, but we do not expect visitors to contribute. We invite you to be our guest! However, if you chose to make a donation, visit Giving to access our online donation page.
Q. What makes your church different from others?
A. There is no test of creed to join. Within our congregation, you’ll find diversity of belief. In our religious education program, we empower our children to become free-thinking individuals who know and respect themselves and others, contribute to their human and natural communities and make informed decisions regarding their spiritual paths.
Q. Will I be pressured to join?
A. Absolutely not! We know that many people prefer to church shop anonymously before they start making relationships. As you choose, you may sign our Visitor’s Ledger and sign up for our monthly newsletter, and you are welcome to join us for coffee and discussion after the service (online or in-person). Make yourself known – or not. But we all enjoy meeting our guests.
Q. Where and When are Services held?
A. Services are held from 10am-11am on Sundays.
Q. I have other questions. How do I get them answered?
A. Please contact us by email at admin@lcuuc or call (262) 369-1703. We’re happy to help you find the answers you seek.
Q. Is your building disability accessible?
A. Yes. We have an ADA compliant non-gendered restroom, hearing assistance headphones, wheelchair and scooter seating, and seating for persons of size.
History of LCUUC
A relatively recent addition to the family of
Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations in
southeastern Wisconsin, ours was founded
by a group of UUs residing in the Lake
Country area. Our vision was that this
region, with its rapid population growth,
could only be fully reached with a local UU
congregation of its size.
We began holding weekly services in
September 1997, and were accepted for
affiliation with the worldwide Unitarian
Universalist Association (UUA). For
several years, we rented and held services
on Sunday evenings at Delafield
Presbyterian Church. In November 2000,
we outgrew that building and moved to
Jerusalem Presbyterian Church in Wales, where we continued to rent and hold services on Sunday evenings. In March 2006 we outgrew that building as well. We were finally able to purchase our own building in Hartland, WI, and change to a morning meeting time.
When we opened our doors in Hartland in March 2006, we had 60 members.
In May of 2013, our congregation voted to call our first full-time minister, Reverend Amy Shaw. We continued to build a strong community for six years, but Rev. Amy decided to take another ministerial position with a larger UU church in Iowa. She finished her tenure with LCUUC on July 31, 2019.
Starting in December 2017, we organized a successful three-year capital campaign leading to major changes in the internal and external facilities. Larger improvements included a new heating and ventilation system, new exterior siding, and new windows. And in August 2021, we updated our carpeting, finishing the last of the major improvements. Thanks to the amazing group of people that helped make that happen - including those active in the planning and those that gave financial support!
LCUUC closed down the facilities due to COVID-19 in March 2020. We were still without a minister, so the LCUUC leaders took on the challenge of keeping members friends connected. There was a steep learning curve while the congregation quickly learned how to us Zoom to be able to keep offering services.
In August of 2020, LCUUC hired a three-quarter time minister, Reverend Carin Bringelson. Rev. Carin stepped into the position during the COVID-19 pandemic and also after a year of LCUUC being without a minister. Under such a daunting scenario, she joyfully and courageously built up this place of loving community - especially while we transitioned into a congregation with multi-platform services and activities and many pastoral needs. In November 2021 we stopped using Zoom for services and signed a four-year contract to offer live-streamed services instead. After quite a few members contracting COVID-19 (including some long-term cases), risk levels began to lower, and we returned to the building for services and meetings in February 2022. After a final gift to LCUUC of running a successful fundraiser to support the LCUUC Endowment Fund, Rev. Carin left LCUUC in June 2023 to minister to a different congregation in Iowa.
In August of 2023, Reverend Matt Aspin became LCUUC's full-time, developmental minister. We look forward to this next adventure for the LCUUC community!
