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A UU Questionnaire

For a research project by Lee Bluemel, M. Div. and student,
Meadville-Lombard School of Theology
Thank you for taking the time to fill in this questionnaire. It is one element of a research project intended to inform Unitarian Universalist ministry. Participation is entirely voluntary.
There are four sections to the survey:
About You (5 questions)
Language & Emotion (4 questions)
Personal Practices, Hobbies, Habits (4 questions)
Communal Practices, Hobbies, Habits (4 questions)

Privacy and Anonymity: Your answers will be anonymous. Your answers will not be linked to your name or email. The only identifying information will come from your answers to the questions you choose to answer in the first section “About You”; these answers will be studied in the aggregate, not individually. You may leave answers blank for any reason.
This survey is conducted in the spirit of curiosity. There will be no moral or other judgement cast upon any answer or upon anonymous respondent! Choosing to answer or not answer this questionnaire or any of its questions will have no bearing upon the attention or services you will receive as a parishioner, member or friend of the congregation.
Your answers are not expected to be comprehensive. Please just share what is top of mind. Again, thank you for your participation!
About you:
1.In what age range do you fall?
2.Are you a member or friend of the congregation?
3.What are a few concerns that worry you or “keep you up at night”? (This might be a personal, communal, global, or existential concern.)
4.Have you ever been part of a group effort to take care of the earth or other beings, with others from within or outside the congregation?
5.Have you ever been part of a group effort to engage in eco-justice, earth-justice or climate justice with others from within or outside the congregation?
Language
6.If you were to describe yourself spiritually, religiously, theologically or ethically, what names, terms or language might you use? (These do not have to be “official” labels.)
7.What words most often come to mind- or what words are you most comfortable using-to describe the larger whole of which we are a part? ( i.e. community, humanity, nature, life, interdependent web of life, earth, universe, mystery, unity, oneness, spirit of love, spirit of life, spirit of God, Goddess, Spirit
8.Which word(s) do you use the most? If your answer to the above question is something else , please explain.
9.How would you name or describe the feelings that you experience with regards to or in relationship to the earth, nature, other beings?
10.Do any of the following phrases have a strong positive resonance with you or not?
Yes},{
No
Somewhat
Not sure, first I heard of it
“care for the earth”
“love for the earth”
“Creation Care”
“God’s Creation”
“mutual flourishing”
“universal kinship”
“spiritual ecology”
“liberation of all beings”
“habitability”
“redemption”
“community-ist”
“awe and wonder”
“spirit of life”
“Green Sanctuary”
“earth love”
“climate justice”
“eco-justice”
“earth justice”
“biodiversity”
“interdependent web of life?
“biophilia“
11.Is there a phrase above- or several- that resonates the most, whether listed here or related to this list?
12.Is there one or more phrase(s) that particularly turns you off or alienates you?
Personal Practices, Hobbies, Habits
13.Do you have any daily, weekly, or general habits, hobbies, practices or commitments related to caring for the earth? Can you name a few?
14.In a few words, can you articulate what motivates you to engage in these practices?
15.Do you engage in any habits, hobbies, practices, rituals that coincide with certain times or seasons of the year, If yes, please explain.
16.In a few words, can articulate what motivates you to engage in these practices?
17.Do you have any daily, weekly, or general habits, hobbies, practices or commitments related to what you think of as justice work- earth-justice, animal justice, eco-justice or climate justice? Can you name a few?
18.In a few words, can you articulate what motivates you to engage in these practices?
19.Do you engage in any daily, weekly, or general habits, hobbies, practices or rituals that help you connect with your feelings about the larger whole which we are a part of? If so, what are they and what motivates you to engage in these practices?
Communal Practices, Hobbies, Habits
20.Are there any rituals or practices in Sunday services or congregational small groups that support or reflect your ideas, feelings or practices around your relationship to the earth, nature, other beings?
21.If yes, please explain what they are.
22.Do you feel engaged or supported by any of the seasonal observation, rituals or practices that occur in Sunday services? If yes, please explain.
23.Do you wish there were more rituals, practices or seasonal observances on Sundays or in congregational small groups that engaged or supported you? If yes, what could they include?
24.Do you feel you can be honest with others in the congregation about your ideas, feelings, language and actions around your relationship to the earth, nature, other beings?
25.Do you feel you can well articulate your ideas and feelings connected to being a Unitarian Universalist or or your relationship to the earth, nature, other beings?
Thank you for your honest responses and for taking the time to answer this survey!
The overall, anonymous results will be shared with the congregation in the fall of 2026.