We were planning to be in St Louis for a couple of days and my wife wanted to see the Cathedral…read moreBasilica of St Louis. We arrived shortly after noon - during the 12:05 daily mass. So, we went downstairs to the Mosaic Museum which was quite interesting. It has numerous displays illustrating how the mosaics were done and offering details on the architecture and construction of the basilica. When we got back upstairs, there was a guided tour just ready to depart. We joined the tour which was being led by an excellent tour guide. The lady leading the tour was excellent and extremely knowledgeable about the cathedral. She explained the significance of the various mosaics and their thematic content. The tour lasted about an hour and I would highly recommend taking the guided tour. This is definitely a must-see site if you're in St Louis.

The Cathedral Basilica is hands down one of the BEST hidden gems in STL!! I've been here 3 times so…read morefar and no matter how many times I go I am always in awe of the beauty, artistry, and craftsmanship that has gone into building this elaborate and ornate cathedral. From the moment I walked in the cathedral I was blown away by the design of the interiors, which is completely covered by mosaic tiles. I've taken the guided tour twice while going and the tour was really insightful in learning more about the history and construction of the cathedral. The tour guides that I've had both times were really knowledgeable about everything dealing with the construction of the Basilica as well as its history as a catholic church. They provide several tours per day, usually when mass is not going on, and they typically last 1-2 hours. There is also a free museum downstairs that discusses the history and construction of the cathedral. The museum is not as mind-blowing as the cathedral itself but it is informative.

When my husband and I were looking for a church that was an open, welcoming community we knew…read moreimmediately that First UU in St. Louis was the place for us. People are friendly, they welcome diversity and there are many ways to engage with the church and members.

I've officially been a Unitarian Universalist for over 10 years, and I've visited several UU…read morecongregations during that time. This church ranks on the top of my UU church list, but I'm biased, because I'm a member here. I feel so alive when I'm there. The services, the groups, the library, the other members, everything... they all help me develop my search for peace, love, truth, community, all those wonderful things... and I know I'm not alone in that quest when I'm there. I wasn't raised with any particular religion. My parents told me I could choose my own religion when I grew up, so I did. It is " a chosen faith," which just happens to be the name of a definitive book about the UU faith. Unitarianism and Universalism have both been around for many years. Unitarianism has been around since the 18th century, and was historically comprised of people who believed in the "oneness" of God (as opposed to the Father/Son/Holy spirit Trinity). Universalism was found in Christianity as early as the 17th century. Universalists believed in God's salvation for all. In 1961, North American Unitarians and Universalists combined to form the Unitarian Universalist Association, and now we have UU as it is today: a liberal religion that draws from many sources. So we have deep roots, although they were historically considered heretical. We're not a New Age thing or a cult or whatever. I promise. If you come to this spiritual sanctuary expecting our leaders to preach Christianity as the one and only path, you will not find what you're looking for, but you will find that we incorporate passages from the Bible in our services. You will find that in any given service, you might learn about teachings from Judaism, Paganism, Buddhism, or other faiths. Many UUs are humanists/atheists. Some are Buddhist. Others are Christian. Still others are simply "spiritual." I personally subscribe to a bit of mysticism. My point is you have the opportunity here to develop your own spiritual path and personal theology, even if it's atheistic. Read about our principles and sources at http://www.uua.org/beliefs/principles/. It's not for everyone, and if it's not, I won't try to convert you, because it's inherent in my faith that I will respect whatever your beliefs might be. If you're interested, join us on a Sunday morning for a moving service, and then have a donut and a cup of coffee, because coffee hour is a ubiquitous UU tradition. Unitarian Universalism might just be what you've been looking for!

Small, inclusive, welcoming congregation with dedicated staff, relevant preaching, and a solid…read moremusic program.

I am an architectural history buff so am impressed with this beautiful building started in 1906 but…read morehas kept up with each new generation. Not only is it a beautiful space for encountering the spirit in our lives it is also a great venue for the arts. Can't wait to be back in place for worship

I tried out this church a few days after moving to St. Louis and am still going (virtually, for…read morenow) 2+ years later. It's a community that welcomes people from a wide range of faith backgrounds and takes a joyful approach to worship. Can't wait until we're back in our beautiful building but for now worship is via Facebook and there are Zoom study groups and prayer groups too!

Truly one of the most clickish, pharasitical places I ever attended. I spent a lot of time there…read morefor a few years, but I was treated like an outsider never truly let into the inner circle even though I was very involved with the worship team and worship planning. It was like being in high school again where you can never be one of the cool kids because you'll never be good enough. Despite the appearance they put on of caring for the downtrodden and being accepting of diverse people, it's all surface. They only accept outsiders as long as they stay outsiders and don't try to penetrate. This failure comes from the leadership. Rather than scold and discourage it, this behavior is tolerated. I do not recommend this for anyone sincere about seeking a real church family.