“The religious community is essential,
for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen.”
Mark Morrison-Reed
We are delighted that your spiritual journey has led you to explore Eliot Unitarian Chapel.
Whether you have joined us for Sunday worship or have children enrolled in our vibrant religious education program, we hope you are getting a sense of how Eliot can touch hearts, expand minds, and change lives.
We invite you to consider taking the next step on your journey – to become a member of Eliot Chapel. Our four-part “Starting Point” Series is designed to facilitate your deeper understanding of our faith, provide you with an opportunity to know more about Eliot Chapel, and offer you a way to make a tangible commitment to this community and your own spiritual development. This is offered 2-3 times a year.
The Meaning of Membership
When you join a Unitarian Universalist congregation, you are not just joining an organization; you are joining the people of the congregation. This kind of membership is covenantal, that is, you are making a sacred promise to walk together. A familiar form of covenant is the marriage vow—two people promise to join together for better or for worse. To join Eliot Unitarian Chapel is to make this sort of promise, not to only one person, but to the hundreds who gather here. As a member of the congregation, you will have the privilege and responsibility of:
- voting at annual and special congregational meetings
- electing the members of the Board of Trustees
- serving on the teams and task forces that do the ministry of Eliot
The Expectations of Membership?
While our spiritual paths are unique, to build a healthy community of faith requires a level of commitment. Eliot members are encouraged to:
- Worship regularly with the congregation
- Join in the work and play of the congregation
- Participate in an Eliot covenant group for deeper spiritual growth
- Make a financial commitment
- Care for and support others in our community
- Perform service to the wider community
- Connect with our larger faith movement
Steps to Becoming an Eliot Member
- Participate in Starting Point. This introductory series is highly recommended. The sessions will provide you with an overview of the rich and remarkable history of Unitarian Universalism, introduce the values that characterize our faith, and familiarize you with the history, mission, and activities of Eliot Unitarian Chapel. Information on the series is available in the Guest Center and in weekly Orders of Service and This Week at Eliot, our weekly e-mail newsletter.
- Complete the membership questionnaire which can be downloaded from here.
- Make a financial pledge. Members make an annual pledge of financial support to the church as a spiritual discipline. What you give is an individual choice. Please consider a pledge that would be generous for you. Your pledge can always be adjusted if your financial circumstances change. Pledge cards are available from the church office, in the Guest Center, or online at www.eliotchapel.org/giving.
- Sign our membership book. After completing the steps above, your path to membership concludes in signing the membership book. Please make arrangements with the minister responsible for Membership (at this time, Rev. Krista Taves, ktaves@eliotchapel.org). The Eliot Board of Trustees will formalize your membership at its next meeting after you sign the book. Your new ministry begins!
Membership Readiness Self-Assessment
The following questions will help you determine if you are ready for membership.
| Area |
Self-Assessment Questions |
| Identity |
Do I consider myself a Unitarian Universalist? What tells me that I am?
|
|
Spiritual
Journey
|
Am I committed to growing spiritually at Eliot Chapel through practice and action? Am I committed to my children receiving a liberal religious education? |
|
Service
|
Am I ready to offer my time and talent to advance Eliot’s mission? Am I willing to learn about what is needed and to help at the level of my ability? |
| Community |
Do I understand that being part of a community means to care for others and to allow them to care for me? How will I be proactive in making those connections? Do I understand the commitment to our covenant, and am I willing to support it? |
|
Financial
Support
|
Do I understand that Eliot Chapel is self-supporting and that I have an obligation as a member to provide financial support? Am I prepared to make a commitment in the form of a financial pledge? |
