A group of people with a common concern had gathered, some who knew each other well, others who only knew one or two a little, and so of course there was an icebreaker. We were invited to put on an extra nametag with a slogan that spoke of our way of being in the world. I put on mine, "come as you are." But then I had to leave for another meeting before we could play the game, so here is what I would have said.
Come as you are, that's the way it is with the Unitarian Universalist church as well as with me. Everyone is invited to be themselves, not to pretend to be someone else. So people come to Sunday service in different kinds of outfits -- some dressed up in nice jackets and ties, pulled-together outfits with jewelry and coordinated shoes, and others in jeans and hoodies with sneakers. Even people's ways of looking nice or looking natural are different. It's fun to see so many different "looks", especially when what's happening is that everyone is looking around at each other, smiling, and making friendly conversation. Sometimes it's hard to get the place quiet so the service can begin.
People can come as they are on the inside, too. With doubts and questions about faith, with their own ideas about God, what happens after we die, what the rules are for living a good life. And we talk. We don't all have to agree in advance, or even at all. You can't quite believe just anything, but the structure really does allow people to think for themselves. Then there's the other kind of how you are on the inside: lonely, fearful, seeking new friends, overflowing with love, eager to share, mourning, celebrating, the whole nine yards. To everything there is a season, and everything comes to each of us in its own season, so some are celebrating new babies while some are worrying about sick and aging parents, some are joyful as achievements are recognized while some are anxious as jobs dry up and disappear,.some are struggling with addictions while others find the purpose of their lives opening like a highway before them.
We're like an overgrown family, where there's room for everyone to be at whatever stage they are at on whatever their journey might be. We get to know each other. We make it a spiritual practice to see the divine within each person, or, since not all of us want to say "divine" or "God", to see the deep interconnectedness of all. This is a religion where you can come as you are, and work out your own spiritual development with the encouragement of others who may or may not be on a path like yours.