by Rev. Dave Dunn
I first met the UUMAN community during my “Candidating Week” in May 2016. (Candidating Week culminates with a congregational vote regarding whether or not to “Call” the particular minister selected by the congregation’s Search Committee.)
During that whirlwind week I had the natural assumption that everyone I’d met had been a member of UUMAN for years and that everyone knew everything about the inner workings of the congregation. That’s likely a natural assumption that every new member has – that everyone has been here forever, that everyone knows everything yet I (i.e. the new member) don’t know anything, don’t know how anything works and surely don’t want to break anything.
The reality though is that many, many congregants may have been attending for only a few months longer than our newest members; and many more congregants have been here for less than a year.
For a new member, there is no trial period where the congregation is vetting them to see if they’re really cut out for UUMAN. No, our newest members don’t need to ask permission to volunteer in any capacity. New members don’t need to wait to be asked to do anything. They are free to jump right in.
Here are some easy things our newest members OR ANYONE can do:
- Sunday Morning Greeter – What a nice, easy way to meet the people and
visitors at UUMAN. No experience necessary. We will tell you what to say. - Brew Crew – Volunteer to make the coffee on Sunday mornings. You’ll have to get here between 9 – 9:30 to get started; bet as the maker of the coffee, you instantly become the most beloved member of the congregation!
- Children/Youth Religious Education Instructor – Get to know our amazing and talented young people. With minimal prep you’ll also be intimately learning what Unitarian Universalism is all about. (Watch out: Being a six-
year Youth Group advisor is what led me to ministry!) - Worship Associate – Yes…you can be up front on Sundays! As a Worship Associate, you get to participate in the creative process of worship, taking on as much or as little as you want each Sunday. We need to hear your voice!
- Sing in the Choir – Anyone can sing in the choir. There is no musical training, reading of music, etc. necessary. There is instant camaraderie in the Choir…and they know how to have fun.
These are just a few easy ways to get involved at UUMAN…and there are countless others (e.g. Gardening, Social Justice, 2 nd Hour Adult Enrichment, Website, etc. )
To know more about these, OR ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES you can think of, please contact our Membership Team at membership@uuman.org.
Nurture our spirit. Strive for Justice. Transform the world.
