Membership

You can become an official member of the congregation by signing one of the Membership Books that goes back to our founding in 1796. This can occur in either a private ceremony with Rev. Nate, or more commonly, in a New Member Ceremony(often scheduled on the third Sunday of each month).

Steps to become an official member of the church:

• Attend UU & You: The membership process begins with your attendance at the UU & You Orientation, often scheduled on the first Sunday of every month. This will help acquaint you with Unitarian Universalism. At the end of this orientation session, you will be offered a “Membership 101 Toolkit”, which will give you more information about the “nuts and bolts” of church membership.
• Announce Your Intention to Become a Member: After attending UU & You, and reviewing the Membership 101 Toolkit, you can inform a leader of the Membership Ministry Team (MMT) and/or Rev. Nate about your intentions for joining the church.
• Connect with a Buddy: Once you have chosen a date to join, you may choose a “buddy” to introduce you to the congregation at the New Members’ Ceremony. If you prefer, the Membership Ministry Team will  match you up with a buddy. Your buddy will answer any questions you have about the church, church membership, and the New Member Ceremony.
• Compose and Submit a Short Biography: If you would like assistance, your buddy will work with you to write a short biography.  The buddy will send the bio to Rev. Nate (revnate@philauu.org) and Jeff (jeff@philauu.org) by noon on Wednesday before the Sunday ceremony. The biographies will go into the Sunday Order of Service as well as be posted on the New Member Board.
• Attend the Pre-Ceremony Reception: On the day of your New Member Ceremony, there will be a small reception beforehand, where you will have an opportunity to ask your buddy any last-minute questions about the ceremony, have your photo taken for the New Member Board, and meet some of the leaders of the church.
• Sign the Membership Book: During the ceremony your buddy will introduce you to the congregation by reading part of your bio as you add your signature to the Membership book.
• Receive the New Member Packet: At the ceremony you will receive a New Member packet, which, along with some informative brochures on Unitarian Universalism and First UU, will also include a name tag, UU Pocket Guide, and Pledge card. Those on the Membership Ministry Team, or your buddy, can help you answer any questions about the pledge process.
• Attend Potluck: After the New Member Ceremony, your buddy will invite you to the monthly potluck in Griffith Hall. Don’t feel you must bring a dish for this potluck - be our guest. 

That's it!  Now you're a member of First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. Welcome home!

Alternatives to Membership:

There are three additional ways you can participate in the life of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia.

1. Become a Fan: A Fan is someone who completes a profile on this website and supports the ministry of the congregation. All Fans are encouraged to upload a profile picture so that we can be hospitable with our guests.

2. Become an iMember: An iMember is someone who is homebound or lives outside of the Philadelphia area and cannot attend worship services or in-person meetings. All iMembers are encouraged to financially support the online ministry of the church by making a $10 monthly donation through our automated e-giving program.

3. Become a Friend: A Friend is an official term defined in the church bylaws and refers to someone in the Philadelphia area who regularly supports the life of the church by making an annual identified contribution. Click here to become a friend a complete an online pledge card.

About the Membership Ministry Team

The Membership Ministry Team (MMT) connects with visitors in order to tell them about our liberal faith and to facilitate their joining the church, when they have made that decision. We coordinate UU & You orientation, match aspiring New Members with buddies and try to help them become integrated into the life of the church. We also support our new and long-standing members and try to build fellowship and a sense of “ownership” in our congregation. MMT also works with the other ministry teams to help address the needs of the members, as well as work with the Membership Zones to help organize the hospitality responsibilities (such as ushering/greeting, coffee hour, and potlucks) each month. It is very rewarding work!

We meet monthly, but there are ways to participate in the team even if you can’t make our meetings. This year, the chair is Lucia Kubik. Feel free to contact her or any other the other MMT members at membership@philauu.org with any questions.