Membership in a Unitarian Universalist Congregation is different. It's not membership in a social club or political party (though there are social benefits and political efforts). It's not a relinquishing of personal authority. In fact, it is by being a member that you get to vote in congregational concerns. Thus membership is the realization of personal authority in a congregational setting. Membership is a commitment to the community and to one's spiritual development. That commitment is articulated in the congregation's mission and covenant. A covenant is a set of promises, generated by the congregation, about how we will be together in upholding and pursuing the mission. This kind of commitment changes a person, and also the world. It is a dynamic, transformative proposition.