September 2022

What a wonderful first month I’ve had at the UU Congregation of Charlottesville! So many of you have welcomed me warmly and every day I’m meeting new people. Of course, I’m the one who is new and most of you have been part of this congregation for much longer than a month! I have met some folks who have recently joined the congregation and others who have been part of this community for well over 50 years!

Speaking of being warmly welcomed, one of the first of our ministries that I have connected with is Membership. Our Membership ministry is charged with welcoming newcomers into our congregation, helping them learn more about Unitarian Universalism and UUCville, and encouraging them to consider membership in our community.

While our current Membership ministry has been doing a wonderful job, we are working to develop a clear path to membership. That path will include monthly newcomer circles, a new member class 3-4 times per year, and a ritual celebrating new members every Spring.

The volunteers involved in making this path to membership successful are wonderful. But warmly welcoming newcomers cannot just be the work of the greeters and the Membership Committee. We need all of you, the entire UUCville community, to say “Hello” to people you don’t know or who appear to be new to our community. If you see someone with a red coffee mug, be sure to greet them and engage them in conversation. I cannot begin count the number of times I have heard newcomers in UU congregations say that they decided to return and eventually become a member because so many people were warm and welcoming when they first visited.

The ministry of welcoming is at heart of Unitarian Universalism, and I hope each and every one of you will be part of this ministry. Together, we can share the gift of Unitarian Universalism and UUCville with others and welcome them into a spiritual community of love and learning, compassion and justice, for all!