Mrs.Anteater - it sounds like you had a really meaningfulf experience at the UU church in Haalifax. I could easily be attrrracted to that type of service, although I am sure I would miss the Christian references to God (I too prefer the emphasis on God, who I see through Jesus). Although with church attendance shrinking in recent decades, I sometimes wonder if we should have more than one worship service on Sundays, or at another time, or an alternate service once a month (I explored this a bit in Pilgrim's thread). Continue with the usual service, but add another in which there could be alternative music, or discussion and interaction, or exploring ideas beyond the lectionary and beyond the Bible. A service that did more than lip-service to welcoming people of different ages (no Sunday School - children and youth are part of the congreggation), different physical abilities, different education levels, different experiences in life. I'm dreaming.
Yesterday our service was conducted by the children and youth - with the little ones dressed as Mary and Joseph, angels, shepherds and sheep - and the older ones putting on a bit of a drama, as well as leading in the call to worship, prayers, scripture reading - and lots of opportunities for the young people to share their musical talents. It was nice to see so many young people involved - we are an old downtown church with lots of seniors. But without young people of my own involved, I don't think it meant a great deal to me. Perhaps I could have used a more traaditional service if it had been offered, perhaps an evening service of carols and reflections. (ps - a few years ago, Granddaughter would have been heavily involved in writing the script and acting in the drama - Grandson would have found it embarassing and a bit foolish dressing up in burlap or like a sheep. He would prefer 'learning something'. He is eleven.)
Different strokes for different folks.
Just teasing you a bit jae after your insistence in the Virtual Secret Santa threat about not delivering a Christmas gift during Advent - that it MUST be on Christmas!