During worship every Sunday in January, Jan Goodwin, on behalf of the Leadership Development Committee, gave us details about the steps we will take over the next three months for nominating candidates to serve on the Search Committee and electing the committee in April.  I listened to her presentations with excitement.  We’ve been preparing for the search for months.  Now we begin making important choices and taking concrete action. 

The role of the Interim minister is mostly to stay out of the way of the search process.  One detail of Jan’s presentation, though, struck me as worth a few words from your current minister.  I’m speaking about the requirement that only members of the church can vote for the Search Committee or serve on the Search Committee.  It’s also true that when the Search Committee completes their work and presents a candidate only the members of the congregation will vote on the question of extending a “call” to the candidate minister.

Becoming a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation is both a simple act and a profound statement.  Practically, all that’s required is that a person demonstrate a basic understanding of our faith (in our church we ask potential members to complete three “Pathway to Membership” classes on UU history, theology, and polity); and make a commitment to support the church with their “time, talent, and treasure” at whatever level is appropriate for their personal circumstances. That’s it.  Sign the membership book during a worship ceremony and you’re in.

But becoming a member of a congregation is also a profound statement of allegiance to the community and to the values at the core of our faith.  If you love this congregation, if it feeds you spirit, if you find enrichment, and friendship, inspiration and power here, it should be natural to want to give yourself fully to this thing you love.  

When a person becomes a member they are saying, “I’m all in.”  I’m willing to become the current, visible, expression of Unitarian Universalism in the larger community and accept the responsibility for the health and future of this church.

That’s a big responsibility but it comes with the joy that comes when we fully invest ourselves in the things that are important to us.  Not to hold back.  Not to take the risk that we might be disappointed, or heart-broken, but to jump in with both feet, and then to explore the depth and splendor of the water away from the shore.

The tentative position is always possible.  Worship and most of our church programs are open to everyone, members or not.  Membership in the church is not about getting more but giving more.  But to get the most from church requires the most connection to the church.  The path toward mining the deep, rich, experiences of life, goes through bold, full-hearted, and full-spirited, commitment.