The Meaning of Membership at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville
Membership means Covenant
Unitarian Universalists subscribe to no creed nor dogma nor doctrine. We are a covenantal community, not a creedal one. Membership in a Unitarian Universalist congregation fundamentally means consciously choosing to enter into covenant with other members. Our covenant is a way of shared living beyond words, yet we can point to it with words such as these:
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We covenant to walk together; to support each other with friendship, good will, and respect; to recognize our kinship and respect our difference; to nurture simultaneously our unity and our diversity; to bring to each other and to our congregation the gifts of our Presence, our Participation, our Unitarian Universalist Practice, and our Pledge of financial support (the “four P's”).
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One popular UU affirmation declares our covenant to dwell together in peace, seek knowledge in freedom, and serve humankind in fellowship, to the end that all souls shall grow into harmony with the all.
- Our UU Principles are a covenant to affirm and promote:
- the inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- justice, equity and compassion;
- acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth;
- the free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process;
- the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and
- respect for the interdependent web of existence.
- The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville adopted this UUFG Covenant statement in 2002: "In our relationships to one another, we covenant to:
- respect and value every person in our congregation during times of agreement and disagreement;
- minister to each other,
- celebrate our joys and give support in times of sorrow;
- make decisions through a democratic process, participate, and respect the outcomes of the collective wisdom;
- set a positive example for children through our words, action, and instruction, while cherishing them as unique individuals;
- give our time, energy, voices and economic resources to the common good;
- in all things be guided by our Unitarian Universalist principles."
- We covenant to uphold and realize our vision: "To be a diverse religious community committed to lifelong spiritual growth and compassionate service to each other, our community, and the earth."
- We covenant to uphold and realize our mission:
- Honor the inherent worth and dignity of all people and of the world in which we live;
- respect and encourage the many different approaches to spiritual fulfillment;
- support each other in life’s passages and struggles;
- work compassionately for peace, liberty and justice;
- celebrate our connection to the sacredness of life and protect life’s sustaining systems.
- We covenant to uphold and realize the purposes stipulated in our bylaws: "This organization:
- provides opportunities for personal spiritual growth and nourishment;
- fosters and invigorates a broadminded acceptance of different views of religion;
- respects the inherent worth of every individual;
- supports mutual respect for differences of individual paths to spiritual formation;
- encourages free and disciplined search for truth and a deeper understanding and experience of human values;
- strives to create a world community founded on the ideals of friendship, justice, and peace."
Rights of Membership
Members receive our newsletter, The Millhopper, and our national denominational magazine, UUWorld. Members of 6 months or more may vote at congregational meetings to adopt congregational policy and elect officers and board members. Voting members are also eligible for elective office. We are a democratic organization, and every voting member has equal power in congregational decision-making. Our congregation is governed neither by church tradition, nor denominational "higher ups," nor its minister. It is governed by an elected board, by committees, and, at congregational meetings, by all voting members.
Expectations of Members
Our expectations of members are summed up in the "four P’s" mentioned above: Presence, Participation, Practice, and Pledge.
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Presence. We expect our members to attend worship services regularly unless special circumstances prevent. We value your presence, and miss you when you're not there.
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Participation. We expect our members to participate in the life of UUFG: to join a committee, teach a class (children, youth, or adult), be active in an RE class, sing with the choir, join one of our covenant groups, get involved with special projects, help with Sunday greeting or coffee set-up and clean-up, or be an office volunteer. Find the form and level of participation that works for you.
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Practice. We expect our members to practice their religion. This may be done through spiritual practices of meditation, prayer, or ritual; through social action for peace and justice; through active caring and ministry to one another — or any deliberate personal program to embody Unitarian Universalist principles in daily life. Unitarian Universalism is a faith which calls on us to live it in all aspects of life. If you were accused of being a Unitarian Universalist, would there be enough evidence for a conviction? We expect members to provide ample evidence every day.
- Pledge. We expect our members to support financially the vision and the dreams of our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville by making a pledge of regular contributions.
The Path of Membership
Membership in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville is an unfolding path of learning about Unitarian Universalism, this fellowship, and yourself in the process. We urge new members — or those considering membership — to start with "The New UU" class. It’s four sessions, one per week. The class is offered quarterly every August, November, February, and May. After that, we hope you’ll schedule time with one of our ministers or our volunteer coordinator to work out an individualized path of spiritual exploration — a path of growing connection to the universe’s abundance, to your own true self, and to this UU faith community — that will be best for you.
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