Mission Statement

Love inspires us to nurture souls, deepen connection, and advance compassion and justice in the world.

The mission statement is the highest-level Ends Statement. It paints the bigger picture of how participation in our church will transform lives. It provides a framework for the specific Ends Statements by addressing the three key aspects of church life: our individual lives, our congregational life, and the lives in our communities. It is intended to stretch our imaginations and challenge our thinking about how our church can make a difference in the world.

Ends Statements

The people of First Unitarian Church Dallas, join together to:

These Ends Statements are commitments by the people of this church to make specific, measurable differences in the lives of our congregation and our communities. For First Unitarian Church, the people – the congregants, ministers and staff – join together to fulfill these commitments and make a difference in all our lives. It is by taking an active part in our church that our congregants help achieve these Ends and receive the many benefits that our church offers.

1. Worship, experience the holy, engage in spiritual and personal growth, and live out Unitarian Universalist values.

This commitment encompasses several key themes from the congregation about how the church can make a significant difference by helping us achieve spiritual and personal growth, experience the holy and express our values in our daily lives.

2. Develop meaningful and caring relationships, with ourselves, each other, and the holy throughout our lives.

Congregants stressed the importance of loving relationships and life-long connections, from loving and accepting ourselves and others, to gaining a sense of the holy within our lives. This commitment includes pastoral care as a key congregational practice.

3. Widen the circle of inclusivity, commit to racial equity, and ensure that our human diversity in all its many dimensions is reflected in worship, leadership, and the work of our church.

Congregants consistently and powerfully called for a commitment to racial equity and diversity. We use the terms inclusivity and human diversity in this statement to encourage thinking about diversity in the broadest sense. We reference worship, leadership, and the work of the church to encourage our church’s leadership to reflect on the ways in which diversity is manifested in these key areas.

4. Sustain and steward our church and our larger Unitarian Universalist movement for the future.

Congregants expressed the desire that our church continue to provide the progressive religious faith that we all cherish. This commitment means that each of us, in whatever capacity we are able, give our time, talent, and treasure to sustain our church and our larger Unitarian Universalist movement.

5. Create opportunities for open, informed dialogue that addresses complex issues of our society and our lives.

This commitment is about the public ministry of the church and what First Unitarian Church offers that is unique in our community. It is of key importance in light of the turmoil, distrust and violence that exists in the world today. Our church has an opportunity to help the truth thrive and love prevail.

6. Proclaim our progressive religious faith to grow wider connection and engagement.

Congregants want our church to be a beacon to all who seek its ministry. With this commitment, ministers and congregants alike have a responsibility to reach and connect with a wider circle of people and to engage them in our church community. Our church is strengthened through the congregation’s active engagement and involvement in this effort.

7. Embrace the pursuit of justice as a spiritual practice connected to our Unitarian Universalist values and faith development and continue to build on the legacy of justice work in our church.

Congregants expressed a strong desire for social justice connected to UU values and faith development. We intend to keep building on the church’s legacy of social justice as a foundation from which other commitments may emerge. Rather than naming specific areas of justice, this commitment is more powerful because it allows the church to adjust programs in response to congregational engagement and passion.