This morning, [name] has asked to become a member of our congregation. We will now welcome [him/her/them] as part of our worship service.
Membership in a faith such as ours is very much a voluntary commitment. We don’t offer our members a prescribed set of doctrine or dogma to adhere to in their daily lives. What we do offer is a commitment to each other that we share whenever we come together. This is what we affirm whenever we repeat our Shared Covenant. Please join us in reciting that covenant and consider the words we speak together.
Love is the spirit of this church and service is its law.
This is our great covenant:
To dwell together in peace,
To seek the truth in love,
And to help one another.
Unitarian Universalists work for justice, and compassion, and spread hope because we believe that the power of love is most important. We contribute, we nurture children and plants, and we protest when the world needs to be changed.
The Unitarian side of our UU movement emphasizes that there is a life force that moves within all of us and that connects us to something much greater than ourselves. The Universalist side of our movement emphasizes that every person, every being, and every part of the earth is sacred and worthy of dignity and respect. Above all, we believe in the power of love to transform the world. This is what is at the heart of every Unitarian Universalist. Religion is not just a past time, it is a way of life.
[Name] Will you please come forward?
[Name] Will you agree to take this spiritual journey with us?
If so, please respond with the words ‘I will’.
New Member: I will.
Will you offer us your unique presence, your individual gifts, and your open heart?
New Member: I will.
Will you commit to participate in the ministries of this church through your own unique self, to support its mission and purposes as you are able, and to commit to always begin with love in all your words and actions?
New Member: I will.
Congregation, do you welcome this new member(s) into the life of this church? If so, please respond with the words ‘We do’.
Congregation: We do.
Will you use your strengths and talents to help [him/her/them] bring forth [his/her/their] unique gifts?
Congregation: We will.
Will you support [him/her/them] through love and fellowship?
Congregation: We will.
Let us join together in this affirmation of membership.
All: As members of the Barre Unitarian Universalist Church, we seek to support and to be supported. We seek to understand and to be understood. We seek to accept and to be accepted. We seek to find love in all we do and to do all things in love.
[Name], We invite you to sign our membership book.
[New Member Sign's book]
Leader: I will now take some of the water we have consecrated together and ask that you join with me in the hand of fellowship.
[Dip hand in water then take new member’s hand]
Leader: Let us now welcome [name] as a new member of the Barre UU Congregation.
(applause)