Unitarian Universalist Church
of Rutland

 

About Us | Newcomers | Children & Youth | Get Involved | Contact Us & Rentals |  |  |

Home

About the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rutland: Our Principles and Sources

We are located at 117 West Street in Downtown Rutland Vermont. Telephone - 802-775-0850

Our Principles: We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:

1. 1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. 2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. 3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. 4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. 5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. 6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7. 7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The seven Principles and six Sources of the Unitarian Universalist Association grew out of the grassroots of our communities, were affirmed democratically, and are part of who we are. Read them as they are written in our UUA Bylaws.

Our Sources: The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

1. Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
2. Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
3. Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
4. Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
5. Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
6. Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

About Our Minister

Our minister, the Rev. Barbara Threet, discovered Unitarian Universalism about 40 years ago, when her two daughters Meg and Serena were very young. She quickly became very involved in her first UU church (the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, NY) and so did her daughters. When they moved to San Diego a few years later they joined the UU church there, and their involvement grew. Barbara was the lead advisor for large and active junior and/or senior high youth groups for over a decade, and along with both of her daughters, she was also involved in many other local and district UU-related committees and activities.

Later, after her daughters had graduated from college, Barbara entered Starr King School for the Ministry, a UU seminary in Berkeley, CA, to prepare for the ministry. She did her internship with the UU congregation in San Mateo, CA and then served as a chaplain in the forensic division of Napa State Hospital where she worked with those found not guilty of major felonies by reason of insanity.

Rev. Barbara was ordained in October of 2003 at First Parish UU Church in Fitchburg, MA, where she served as part-time minister for four years. She then accepted the position of full-time minister at the Melrose UU Church in the Boston area, where she served for nine years. In June of 2016, she retired from full-time ministry and moved into a granny flat on her daughter Serena’s property, where she is delighted by the quiet, the lack of traffic, the presence of fields and forests, and especially, by the regular presence of her youngest two grandsons!

She is delighted to be serving as the three-eighths time minister at UU Church of Rutland, which means she preaches on the second Sunday of every month (September through June) and again on the fourth Sunday for several of those months. She is in Rutland for a few days before and after those second Sundays, during which time she attends various church events and meetings, visits members, facilitates classes and discussions, and takes care of other congregational matters. She is available by appointment for conversation, and when needed, makes special trips to Rutland for pastoral emergencies. She finds UUCR to be a vibrant, healthy, compassionate and thoughtful congregation, which she thoroughly enjoys!

Rev. Barbara also serves as the one-third time minister at the UU Congregation of Glens Falls, NY. She spends several days there each month leading up to preaching on the third Sunday. She is also available to that congregation for pastoral emergencies.

She is particularly interested in women's issues, land mine removal and access to clean water, and in issues around race and poverty, especially as they relate to the criminal (in)justice system.

Rev.Barbara is happy to be in contact with you, and the best way to reach her is via email at brthreet@gmail.com. You can also text her at 978-855-7236, but since she lives in rural western MA where cell phone coverage is very spotty, it’s best not to try to reach her by calling her phone (texts usually do come through easily though).