{"id":26,"date":"2011-06-07T00:22:26","date_gmt":"2011-06-07T05:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allsoulsshreveport.org\/site\/?page_id=26"},"modified":"2023-04-22T12:04:29","modified_gmt":"2023-04-22T17:04:29","slug":"frequently-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/allsoulsshreveport.org\/site\/frequently-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Here are some answers to questions\u00a0you might\u00a0have before your first visit to All Souls.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most-current COVID-19 pandemic updates \/ additions to our frequently asked questions will be in RED BOLD TEXT<\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

1.\u00a0 What should my children and I wear to this church?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic is that there is much less worry about what one must wear while attending worship services and religious education classes online.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For anything that is interactive (e.g. religious education classes using Zoom), we ask that you wear enough clothing to satisfy modesty requirements.\u00a0 Obviously, this is not a requirement for watching the livestream worship services on our Facebook page (you can see us but we cannot see you).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Wear what you will be comfortable wearing.\u00a0 Members of our congregation wear a variety of styles of clothing, running the gamut from traditional “Sunday best” to shorts and sandals, and everything in between.\u00a0 Children should dress in something that is comfortable for play, as our Religious Education classes may often include active games, outdoor activities and a certain amount of “creative messiness.”<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 What programming is available for my children on Sunday morning?<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our 11:00 AM worship services viewable online through Facebook are all-ages events.\u00a0 On 20 March 2022, we have resumed in-person religious education classes for children and youth during our 11:00 AM worship service.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Since infants and toddlers cannot be vaccinated for COVID for the foreseeable future, we will not be providing nursery care for infants and toddlers during our Sunday morning worship services and Sunday morning adult religious education classes.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Religious Education classes are available for Preschool (beginning at age 3) through High School at 11:00 AM.<\/p>\n

Our children and youth join the adults\u00a0during the 11:00 AM worship service. \u00a0They will stay in the worship service for the\u00a0first 15 or 20 minutes and then go their religious education class\u00a0for the duration of the service.<\/p>\n

On selected special Sundays, our children and youth will stay in the worship service instead of attending class for a fully intergenerational worship experience.<\/p>\n

Nursery care for infants and toddlers under age 3 is available from 9:15 AM to 12:15 PM. \u00a0This is for our 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM adult religious education classes and our 11:00 AM worship service (usually finished\u00a0between 12:00\u00a0PM and 12:15\u00a0PM on most Sundays).<\/p>\n

For older children and youth during our 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM adult religious education classes, we will have something fun and enjoyable for them to do until the adult classes adjourn.<\/p>\n

We are flexible with children making the transition from nursery to preschool — realizing that some young three year olds and even older two year olds are more than ready while some three year olds need a little more time to adjust. We work with children and their parents at the child’s own pace. See FAQ section 3 for additional information.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 If my child isn’t ready to leave me, can my child stay with me in the service?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since all of our worship services during the COVID-19 pandemic are all ages worship services, your child can stay with you during the worship service during in-person attendance or while watching at home.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, absolutely!\u00a0 We only ask that you be mindful of your child’s attention span and ability to respect this time and space as set aside for worship. Our Director of Religious Education and our Religious Education teachers are also willing to work with you on helping your child integrate into the activities for younger children (always taking your child’s cues and moving at your child’s pace).<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Are people of all races welcome in this congregation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, resoundingly!\u00a0 In our worship, in our religious education programming, in the causes we support, and in all aspects of congregational life; we strive to respect and affirm racial diversity and acceptance. We always welcome suggestions for making our congregation and our denomination more racially and economically inclusive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Are bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people welcome in this congregation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, wholeheartedly!\u00a0 They are a vital part of our congregational life.\u00a0 Knowing that church should be a safe and supportive spiritual haven for all who attend, and also knowing that for many bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender people, their past church experience has been anything but that, we strive to be a sanctuary of love and acceptance.<\/p>\n

We are also one of few denominations who formally recognize and celebrate same-sex unions, and who formally ordain non-celibate bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender clergy. We take enormous pride in the fact that for more than 30 years, Unitarian Universalism has been an advocate of acceptance and justice for all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 If I am Wiccan and my partner is Christian, will we both be accepted in your church?\u00a0 Are interfaith\/multifaith relationships accepted in your church?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, unconditionally!\u00a0 Many individuals in multi-faith relationships and families find our church an ideal place to be together and grow spiritually without forcing any one individual to give up a personal religious path.<\/p>\n

We are a covenantal church rather than a creedal one.\u00a0 Our members represent a wide variety of spiritual paths (Agnostics, Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Pagans, Humanists, Atheists, Wiccans, etc.) but we come together in community around a covenant or mutual agreement based on our Seven Principles<\/a> to support others in their individual faith journeys.\u00a0 We find our shared belief in how we treat one another and relate to each other in our congregational community.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 What goes on during the worship services?<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we meet for worship at 11:00 AM (the worship service can be found on our Facebook page).\u00a0 If you join us before 11:00 AM, we have some prelude music for your enjoyment starting around 10:50 AM.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Our children and youth remain with the adults for the first 15 to 20 minutes of the in-person worship service.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For families with children and youth who are attending in person, the children and youth will depart for their classes at this time for most worship services.\u00a0 At this time, we do not have any Zoom religious education classes for children and youth.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For selected Sunday worship services, we will have an intergenerational worship service where everyone stays together in worship (no children and youth classes on these Sundays).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Our worship services start at 11:00 AM on Sunday and we usually finish between 12:00 Noon and 12:15 PM (important information if you have Sunday afternoon plans).<\/p>\n

As in many Unitarian Universalist congregations, our services vary in both content and character, and we often encourage newcomers to attend at least five or six services in order to experience fully the practice of worship at All Souls. Generally, however, the weekly format of our services is very similar to that of a liberal Protestant congregation.<\/p>\n

We always light the chalice, the symbol of our faith<\/a>, to begin the service, which includes a Unison Affirmation, various readings, hymns, prayer or meditation, and a central sermon or message — delivered by our minister Rev. Barbara Jarrell, a lay reader, or a guest speaker.<\/p>\n

Readings come from various sources, including the Bible and the scriptures of other traditions, but may also include poetry, literature, philosophy, science, or even the morning newspaper (depending on the theme of the service). \u00a0Hymns and special music selections are also likely to come from a variety of sources and styles.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0 What will my child be learning in Religious Education classes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Religious Education (commonly shortened in conversation as “RE”) at All Souls is a combination of worship, classroom, social action and recreational experiences built around five major themes, or “Pillars”:<\/p>\n