Greetings and a Question

[ChrisPerson]

Hi everybody! I've just joined RF and I've been going to a UU church for about a month and a half or so, though services are on summer break, so I haven't really been to one yet!

I was raised Catholic, became a Pagan with a leaning toward the ancient Roman beliefs and gods, and have just recently become fascinated with Taoism. And i'm very gay, if that matters to anyone.

My question is about other UU congregations - I've noticed that almost everyone who is active at my local UU church is older than me, most old enough to be my parents. I'm hoping that when regular services resume (which is soon) that more people will start showing up and will bring more diversity in age.

Of course this is possibly an unfounded hope, lol. I was wondering about the age demographics at other congregations. It's not terribly upsetting to me or anything, its just that I just moved here and was hoping to find some new friends in my own age group.

thanks!
-Chris

 

[Storm]

My church has a thriving Young Adults group, but we're quite large.

 

[bicker]

It depends on the congregation. We have a great mix, here.

 

[England my lionheart]

Welcome to RF Chrisperson

 

[monta]

Hello and welcome

 

[uu_sage]

Welcome to the forums!

 

[J Bryson]

Welcome! My church skews a bit older, but we're working on becoming a more intergenerational community.

 

[applewuud]

Welcome, ChrisPerson.

Every congregation is different, however it is fair to say that denomination-wide, the majority of UU attendees are older. The greatest "gap" (the age group with the lowest numbers) is in young adults. The UUA had a "Mind the Gap" program a few years ago to help congregations reach out to and support people between 18 and 30.

A lot of kids go to UU in school, drift away during college, then return after they've married and had kids of their own.

This becomes a negative feedback loop: there needs to be a critical mass of young adults to attract other young adults, and support programs for their interests. It's no fun showing up to a coffeehouse and being the only one there between 15 and 50.

Once things start up in the fall, give it a few Sundays to see who shows up. Lots of UUs, especially younger ones, come to services once a month, when the topic interests them.

 

[Tinkerbell]

Hi Chris! I too am new here and I too have a similar "all over the place" religious history. The first time I attended a UU Church was in Jacksonville, FL and there I found, much as you have, that the majority of the congregation were older. The new church I've discovered here in the Charlotte area of NC seems to have a much wider range of ages, and I'm saying that based on my first and only visit thus far. I guess it all depends. I certainly believe that in general, it's much harder for a "young person" to enter a new place such as a new church than it is someone who has been there done that.

As a side note Chris... your "very gay" comment made me laugh out loud and I will add this as well... sitting in front of me at my first service was what I assumed (I know... bad) to be a very loving lesbian couple and a few rows down was a gay male couple. Proof that UU does truly accept everyone for the human being they are.