Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists & Secularists (AAHS) met regularly from 2011 until the pandemic (and sporadically for a few times afterward). It’s 4th Sunday meetings — which we came to call Freethinker Forums — were lively gatherings featuring open discussion of topics ranging across religion, secularism, politics, and culture, with occasional guest presentations and film screenings. AAHS was open to all and a place to express diverse viewpoints, while being broadly grounded in historic UU Humanism. It was also instrumental in the addition of the Humanist banner to the Sanctuary in 2019.
Unitarian Universalism has actively affirmed the inclusion of Humanists and non-theists for more than a hundred years, and today a large number of UUs (and very sizable part of UUSM’s membership) tend to identify as such, or with a broadly secular or post-traditionally-religious perspective. Thus, the Lifelong Learning Commission and I think that providing a space for connection, discussion and exploration of ideas — including spirituality as some of us might understand it — is important. Not to mention fascinating and fun.
To that end, AAHS is rebooting with a new name: Unitarian Humanists and Freethinkers (UHF). We will have our first Freethinker Forum of 2026 on Sunday Sep. 13th at 1PM in the Cottage, right after the Opportunities Fair. It will be a chance to connect and talk about some general topics. Inspired by our recent documentary screening and discussion, I want to begin with a question famously asked by Henry David Thoreau, who was both a great skeptic and a lifelong seeker: “Who are we? Where are we?”
Going forward, we will try to meet at least semi-regularly, if not always monthly. We will also plan to pursue becoming a chapter affiliate under a new program by the UU Humanist Association (more info at the meeting), and possibly even explore becoming an affiliate of the American Humanist Association (AHA) — which you may have last heard about here from Executive Director and UU Humanist Fish Stark.
To RSVP, with questions, or to get on the list for future meetings, please contact (for now): aahs@uusm.org.
