Becoming a Member

Becoming a Member at UUCB

You don’t have to be certain about anything to walk through these doors.  Many people arrive at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley with questions about religion, about community, and about whether a place like this can offer a sense of belonging without asking you to set aside who you are.  Some have been part of churches before and left.  Some have never felt at home in one. Some are quietly searching for something they’re not quite ready to name.

People come from many different starting points. Some come from Jewish, Christian, or Catholic backgrounds. Some identify as atheist or humanist. Some draw from Buddhist or earth-centered traditions—and some don’t use any of these labels at all. What they tend to share is not a single belief, but a willingness to live with questions, and a commitment to treating one another with respect.

If you’ve already spent time here, you may have noticed something: People show up. They try to treat each other with respect. They wrestle with what it means to live with integrity in a complicated world.  Not perfectly. But sincerely.

A Community That Speaks to Where You Are

For many people, one of the first points of connection at UUCB are the sermons.  Our minister, Rev. Marcus, has a way of speaking that reaches across generations. In a single sermon, you might hear something that resonates with someone in their 20s—and something equally meaningful to someone in their 80s or 90s.

People often describe his sermons as thoughtful, grounded, and relevant to real life—not abstract, and not removed from the world we’re actually living in. Word has been spreading.

What Community Looks Like Here

Community at UUCB is not just something you hear about—it’s something you experience over time. It shows up in different ways for different people:

• Families bring their children because they want them to grow up with an inclusive understanding of belief, identity, and belonging
• Young adults come looking for thoughtful conversation and a place where questioning is welcome
• Older adults often find a space where their life experience is valued and where they can continue growing

There are many ways to connect—through the weekly worship service, social justice work, learning groups, music, and small groups like Chalice Circles.  In Chalice Circles, people practice deep listening—speaking one at a time, without interruption or crosstalk.  It’s a simple structure, but one that many find begins to shape how they listen and relate to others in their everyday lives.

UUCB offers many entry points. Finding your way through them can take time. But for those who stay with it, community here often becomes less about attending and more about participating in something shared.

Why Membership Matters

If you decide to become a member, something else becomes true:  You have a say in what this community becomes.

UUCB is not directed from above. There is no hierarchy.   Members guide the life of the church through voting, leadership, and shared decision-making.

That includes:

• Voting on budgets, programs, and priorities
• Hiring our ministers
• Electing member congregants to the Board of Trustees
• Helping shape how UUCB lives its values in the wider community

In Unitarian Universalism, your voice doesn’t just matter, it is critical.

What You Receive as a Member

As a member of UUCB, you:

• Are supported by a community that shares your values
• Have access to professional pastoral care
• Can help shape the vision and direction of the church
• Can develop groups and initiatives that matter to you
• Have access to ministerial support for major life events such as weddings and memorials
• May use UUCB spaces at a discounted rate

What Membership Asks of You

Membership is not about perfection. It is about participation.

As a member, you are invited to:

• Support the UUCB Covenant of Right Relations
• Continue learning about Unitarian Universalist values
• Contribute financially at a level that is meaningful and sustainable for you
• Stay informed about the life and governance of the church
• Participate in congregational meetings and decision-making
• Offer your time and leadership when it feels right
• Engage in social justice efforts that speak to you
• Find ways to stay connected—to others, and to your own growth

This is a shared effort. Each person contributes in their own way.

Belonging Takes Time

It is not necessary to be a member of UUCB to be part of UUCB!   You are welcome to attend services, join groups, volunteer, and explore—at your own pace.   Membership is simply a moment when you decide:   “Yes. I want to be part of shaping this community.”

Taking the Next Step To Membership

If you feel ready—or even just curious—we invite you to learn more about membership at UUCB.  Please email membership@uucb.org.  We can give you the dates of the monthly meetings with Rev. Marcus that go deeply into our Covenant with each other, the history of Unitarian Universalism and UUCB and the theology of Unitarian Universalism.