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Are you a Good Church Member?

As members of this Beloved Community we covenant

  • To open ourselves to spiritual growth and transformation;
  • To be wellsprings of kindness, as we forgive and uplift one another, honoring everyone as their whole and holy selves;
  • And to share our gifts of service and support as co-creators of an evolving tradition, respecting its past and living its values. 

We make these promises so that we may nurture our kinship with a sacred and meaningful world.

This statement of covenant was adopted by the congregation last year. Because we are a covenanted congregation, members have certain responsibilities to the congregation and to one another. These responsibilities are best fulfilled by:

  • Attend worship regularly: Weekly worship cements the bonds of community, and keeps our attention directed to our highest values, while nurturing our spirits.
  • Work deliberately at your own spiritual development: Developing a deeper Unitarian Universalism knowledge and practice can help in confronting difficult times of grief, or loss and can be a gift to the congregation and to the larger world.
  • Responsibly participate in congregational meetings: which means considering  how issues affect all members of the congregation, as well as potential members and others in the world outside the congregation.
  • Contribute financially: Not only does this provide for the support of the congregation, but it also serves as a spiritual discipline. Many Unitarian Universalists aim for a modern tithe—that is, giving 5 percent of income to the congregation, and another 5 percent to other organizations and causes that represent their values.
  • Find ways to give back that nurture your own soul. Congregations work because their members find ways to give of themselves, whether through singing, financial management, educating children, sharing their passion for social justice, organizing, cooking, greeting—the list of tasks goes on.
  • Make social connections: Engage in the many chances to develop authentic personal relationships. These relationships are fun and form the basis of a sustaining, beloved community. They help develop the mind and spirit at the deepest levels.

So how are you doing? If you rated each responsibility on a scale of 1-5  with 1 being, “I didn’t know I supposed to do that!” and 5 being “ I’m killing it!” What would your score be? Are there areas you need to work on?

Adult Programs/Spiritual Enrichment has classes and workshops to help with that. Check out our FYI to find out how.

Adapted from: Tapestry New UU