| Expectations of Membership |
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Worship is the central act of our community; it is our time of gathering for strengthening, for reflection and celebration, and for learning about what the church is engaged in. Simple miracles unfold each time we gather! We ask you to participate in the ongoing conversation that occurs here at church. We ask that you attend worship regularly.
Spiritual Growth As a member we expect you will cultivate your spiritual life, and we want to help support you. You might participate in our adult religious education or join a Chalice Circle. We welcome you as you are, but we don’t expect you to remain as you are. We invite you to participate in our transformational learning community.
Stewardship We ask each member to make a generous pledge of financial support. We ask that you begin by pledging 5% of your income, with the goal of reaching a full 10% tithe over time. We ask a high level of commitment, because we believe that the values that we cultivate here are worth not only generosity, but even sacrifice. You are asked to contact the lead minister to discuss your circumstances if you are not able to pledge at the stewardship level of 5%.
Foundations of Fellowship Each member is expected to pitch in with the basic tasks that help our community to thrive – e.g., greeting, ushering, sound system operation, coffee-hour hosting, children’s coffee hour healthy-treat provider, Religious Education greeter, etc. We ask you to serve approximately one Sunday each month in any of these ways you choose. The Foundations of Fellowship opportunities are found on the pledge form in the Membership Enrollment Kit.
Find Your Ministry We want to support you as you discern the ministry that you are called to live out in the world. How will you know if it’s a ministry area for you? You’ll know because it will feel like a nourishing, energizing commitment. We recognize that ministry takes many forms, from organizing for justice to teaching to hammering nails to singing to fundraising to visiting the sick. We will provide resources for you as you listen to where you are being called to grow in your life, and we ask you to practice that ministry here in the congregation.
Live Out Your Faith We want to move from Sunday to Monday together. We invite you to practice living out Unitarian Universalist principles in your daily life, and ask that each member of our community participate in at least one action for social justice each year.
Continue the Conversation Beginning Sundays in September, we will offer a monthly lunchtime program (“Congregational Conversations”) designed to help you learn more about the various areas of the church. We especially encourage new members to participate in the monthly conversations.
Sharing the Vision We ask that you share how this community is a positive influence in your life with your friends. Too many people have said that they had no idea we existed, and wish that they had years earlier. We don’t want to be a well-kept secret!
Participate in our Democracy We ask that our members keep themselves informed about the congregation’s direction and participate in our governance. Congregational meetings are held a few times a year.
Next Steps... We ask that you take whatever time you need to discern whether UUSM is your spiritual home and whether you are prepared to step into the commitment that is membership in our community. There are forms that we ask you to fill out before you sign the membership book; they are all in the Membership Enrollment Kit! When you are ready to step into this community of transformation as a member, we will be so pleased to welcome you! |