Welcome!
If you are feeling UUCB to be your spiritual home, this is the place to start upon your pathway to membership. In joining UUCB as a member, you will enter into a convenantal relationship that is guided by love and sustained by respectful relationships. We look forward to getting to know you, and hope that you find your place among us! The UUCB Membership Committee is here to help.
Why are these folks UUCB Members? Find out!
Membership Signings
Membership Signing meetings are held several times a year on a Sunday from 12:30 to 2 pm. They are announced in the Beacon and The Week Ahead.
At the Membership Signing you will meet with a Membership Team representative and a minister. Lunch and childcare are provided.
Please note that you are welcome to come to any Membership Signing meeting just to listen and hear about Unitarian Universalism and how UUCB operates. You do not need to sign the membership book and become a member. We are glad that you are interested in learning more about UUCB.
At the meeting, each person introduces themself and talks a little about their religious or spiritual journey before coming to UUCB. The minister presents a brief history of Unitarian Universalism, its origins and its commitment to the dignity and worth of every human being.
Then the conversation focuses on UUCB (Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley) and its commitment and covenant to each person in the congregation. Questions are answered such as what are the benefits of membership? What are the responsibilities of membership? What does it cost to be a member of UUCB? There isn’t a fee to be a member—there are, of course, costs to run the church and each person decides what they can pledge (promise) each month to keep the lights on, staff paid and the programs running. Some people can pledge $15 a month and some can pledge $1500 a month.
Finally, if your decision is to become a member, the Membership book is passed around for each person to sign their name and the date of becoming a member. After the signing, we congratulate each other … no, not really … but everyone is pretty happy and excited about becoming a member of UUCB and getting more involved with guiding its future.
Then your picture is taken to be placed on the kiosk in the atrium for other congregants to know who you are (your picture is not posted to our website).
You are given a yellow “Unitarian Universalist Love” tee shirt. These shirts are worn in solidarity for when we attend protests and events to show our support for love, compassion and our liberal religious values. Other people know when the “UUs” have shown up because we have on our yellow “UU” tee shirts.
If you would like to become a member of UUCB or attend a Membership signing just to see what Membership is all about, please email membership@uucb.org for more information or to ask questions. Lonnie, Paul or Victoria will respond and answer any questions.
Benefits of Membership
Members may call on the ministers for consultations and ceremonies without fee. Those who have been members for at least 60 days may vote in church meetings. After one year members are eligible for election to the Board of Trustees. Your membership includes subscriptions to the UUCB monthly newsletter, Beacon on the Hill; Pathways, our biannual publication of classes and workshops; and to the national Unitarian Universalist Association’s, UU World. You will be enrolled in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), 
headquartered in Boston, as well as the Pacific Central District (PCD) of the UUA. We hope you will be inspired to attend the annual PCD conference and UUA General Assembly.
Integrity of Membership
Participate regularly in Sunday Services. Small miracles happen every Sunday. Your presence is a meaningful addition to this community’s energy and power. A word, the silence, music or a song may be a healing, encouraging or transformative moment for you. Or maybe you will be the one to reach out warmly to welcome someone new, offer an affirming look or say a transforming word to someone. A small miracle may happen through you.
- Commit to a daily spiritual practice. We will support you in developing a practice that is right for you – praying; meditating; chanting; reading scripture, poetry or other inspirational words; walking; journal-keeping…
- Participate in activities. Join one of the church’s groups, classes or workshops. We offer many ways to feed your spirit.
- Serve the church. We are grateful for and encourage your gifts, and will support you as you search for your ministry in the church as Greeter, Usher, Evensong Leader, Caring Circle Member, Board Trustee – whatever capacity calls to you.
- Serve the larger community. We want the church to give in good measure to alleviate some of the suffering in the world. We will support your sense of mission and help you respond to the needs of the world with your compassion and action. Community service opportunities in which the church participates include the Read-Aloud and School Volunteer Projects, Greater Richmond Interfaith Program’s Souper Center and Shelter, Transylvanian Partner Church Program, Friends Outside-Jail Ministries, Green Conservation, the UU Service Committee, and World Peace Committee.
Give generously to support the church’s principles and purpose. Members share in good measure to live in good conscience and sleep well at night. May we know meaning and joy in sharing.
We all dream of clarifying our mission, our higher calling, and of working together to make more love and justice in our lives and in the world. Through our clarifying, living out, and realizing our mission, may we each and all grow in faith and hope and charity.
The Meaning of Membership
The work of this church is to create loving community, inspire spiritual growth, and encourage lives of integrity, joy, and service. The members recognize in each other freedom of mind, agree to impose no theological conditions of membership, and respect differences of opinion among us. We welcome to our membership all those who love truth and seek to do good.
Guests are always welcome to participate in our services and programs, contribute in the life of UUCB and draw strength from it. But there may come a time when you feel the need to deepen your connection to UUCB and acknowledge that bond. When you hear a voice inside say, “This is my spiritual home,” and no longer view yourself as a guest here, it may be time to think about becoming a member.
We encourage you to read our newsletters and other literature about our church and its activities. Visit the Welcome Table as often as you like and ask any questions you may have. You don’t have to be a member to participate in UUCB activities, such as a Chalice Circle, and we recommend that you do that. It’s a good way to explore a relationship with UUCB.
UUCB is a shared ministry, which means that each of us plays an important role. Together, we quite literally keep the doors open and the programs running. This is our church. As members we gratefully share in the life of the UUCB community and strive for what we call Integrity of Membership.
