I am not religious and have no desire to start being now but sometimes I just want the community people get with church. I am craving connection with the community and feel it’s very healthy for families and neighbors as well. The United States is seriously lacking in third spaces and communities. It’s leading to a serious loneliness epidemic… Just wondering if there is anything that can fill that need for non-religious folks?
Check your local Unitarian Universalism (UU) branch.
https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission/about-article-2
"Section C-2.1. Principles.
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."
Fellow UU here, second checking them out. Wanted to emphasize that there’s no expectation to believe a particular religious text. Our services lately have been around the themes of practicing resistance (which can take many forms) and being resilient in the face of adversity. Our congregation celebrates holidays from most major religious traditions as well as secular holidays like Earth Day and Trans Day of Visibility. I’m also a big fan of the community volunteer opportunities and music program. Each congregation is a bit different based on the membership, here’s a link to find one near you. Many stream services on Zoom so you can check them out with very low commitment.
I have a couple of friends who go to one of the UU churches in Dallas. I think maybe Roe came from it.