Five Pathways to Membership - The Unitarian Church of Montpelier

Pathways to Membership

Unitarian Church of Montpelier — 2025-26

Dear Friend,

If you are interested in becoming a UU, officially joining the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, and signing our Membership Book, we encourage you to engage with these Pathways, to deepen your understanding of and connection with our community. Many of these activities and suggestions for engagement may already be familiar aspects of your everyday life, while others may provide new and exciting ways for you to grow spiritually, and come to understand who we are and who we all strive to be, together.

The options in bold are highly recommended. These will introduce you to all aspects of our UCM community, what it means to become a Member, and the rights and responsibilities of Membership.

We invite you to meet, virtually or in person, with our Minister, Rev. Joan Javier-Duval, and/or Congregational Life Coordinator, Elaine Ball, to discuss what you have learned, and any additional questions you may have, and to sign our Membership Book.

Thank you for your interest in joining our UCM community! We look forward to meeting you and getting to know you in the months and years to come.

Gratefully Yours,

Elaine Ball

Congregational Life Coordinator

802-595-9801 | ucm.membership@gmail.com

The Unitarian Church of Montpelier (UCM) invites all new and long-time Friends of our congregation to learn more about Unitarian Universalism (UU) and our UCM community, through the following Pathways to Membership, inspired by our Mission Statement, our Congregational Covenant, and the Values & Covenant of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Mission Statement of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier:

We welcome all as we build a loving community to nurture each person’s spiritual journey, serve human need, and protect the earth, our home.

Congregational Covenant (approved May 17, 2020):

We are the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. We are bound together by Love within this safe and nurturing community. We gather as we are & as we aspire to be. We accept some discomfort to stretch beyond past boundaries & habits. We covenant to:

speak honestly and listen deeply to each other and the voice within;
treat each other with compassion and honor our differences;
take responsibility for the impact our words, actions, and inactions have on each other;
support each other in times of need and of grief, and celebrate the beauty and joy in our lives;
honor the gifts of the past and be gentle with each other as we grow;
encourage each other in the brave work of creating a more Beloved Community and a healthy, sustainable world;
and, forgive each other and start again.

Values and Covenant of the Unitarian Universalist Association (approved June, 2024):

As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our Association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. We draw from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love.

Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love. Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:

Interdependence. We honor the interdependent web of all existence. With reverence for the great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it. We covenant to protect Earth and all beings from exploitation. We will create and nurture sustainable relationships of care and respect, mutuality and justice. We will work to repair harm and damaged relationships.

Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology. We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.

Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive. We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression. We support the use of inclusive democratic processes to make decisions within our congregations, our Association, and society at large.

Transformation. We adapt to the changing world. We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Openness to change is fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.

Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality.

Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with inherent dignity and worthiness. We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.

We encourage you to complete at least two options within each Pathway, and then to select one Pathway you would like to explore further — you may choose to complete all the options within one of the Five, or you may choose to complete three or more options within all Five — this is a creative and self-guided process. Remember, the options in bold are most highly-recommended. ~ Enjoy your journey!

Pathway 1 – We welcome all

▢ Sign up to receive the weekly e-newsletter (at the Welcome Table or online at www.ucmvt.org and attend an upcoming service/program/event.

▢ Connect with one of the following UCM Committees/Teams: Climate Action Team (CAT) – contact Anne Sarcka – Monday Community Lunch – contact Janet Poeton – Spiritual Exploration (SE) Committee – contact Caitlin Frauton.

▢ Help another person recognize their inherent worth and dignity – raise someone up, offer unexpected praise, affirmation, recognition, or kindness (write a letter, have a meaningful conversation, etc.).

▢ Read, watch, attend, or listen to a book, article, lecture, program, class, workshop, event, or film written, led, produced, and/or created by someone who identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC), and/or a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.

▢ Educate yourself about a community of people, an issue/viewpoint, or a political movement (local, national, international, or global) that you are not very familiar with – seek out voices and perspectives that are different from those you typically hear from.

▢ Learn more about, volunteer for, and/or attend a program organized by a local organization working directly with and for marginalized communities (see https://ucmvt.org/community-action-resources/)

▢ Choose your own adventure! Dive deeper to learn about our UU values of interdependence, pluralism, and equity (see above). Find ways to celebrate the diversity in our community; embrace differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect; and use your time, wisdom, and resources to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.

We encourage you to complete at least two options within each Pathway, and then to select one Pathway you would like to explore further — you may choose to complete all the options within one of the Five, or you may choose to complete three or more options within all Five — this is a creative and self-guided process! Remember, the options in bold are most highly-recommended.

Pathway 2 – We build a loving community

▢ Attend one of UCM’s Activities Fairs, held during Coffee Hour in the Fall and Spring, to connect with representatives of numerous active UCM Committees, Groups, and Teams – learn how you can be more involved with causes that speak to you. Contact Congregational Life Coordinator, Elaine Ball for details.

▢ Give to and receive from all-church fundraisers such as the Fall and Spring Rummage Sales and the Holiday Fair; attend or volunteer for the Monday Community Lunch to connect with the broader community; – invite friends and family to participate in the life of the church, whether worship services and Coffee Hours, or other programs, activities, and events. Check the church calendar at www.ucmvt.org for ideas!

▢ Read and reflect on UCM’s new Congregational Covenant (see above) – journal about your thoughts, and/or share them with another UCM friend/member.

▢ Engage with an act of self-care, indulgence, grace, forgiveness, calm, and/or kindness for who you are, exactly as you are (write yourself a letter, give yourself a ‘pep talk,’ give yourself a gift/opportunity/experience that is long overdue, etc.).

▢ Choose your own adventure! Dive deeper to learn about our UU values of Love, justice, generosity, and equity (see above). Consider ways to support others in our shared ministries; draw from heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage to build on a foundation of love; work to dismantle racism and other forms of systemic oppression; freely and compassionately share your faith, presence, and resources; and use your time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.

We encourage you to complete at least two options within each Pathway, and then to select one Pathway you would like to explore further — you may choose to complete all the options within one of the Five, or you may choose to complete three or more options within all Five — this is a creative and self-guided process! Remember, the options in bold are most highly-recommended.

Pathway 3 – Nurture Each Person’s Spiritual Journey

▢ Attend or watch a recording of UCM’s “New UU” class, “UU History & Theology,” led by Rev. Joan and Congregational Life Coordinator Elaine Ball in the Fall and Spring.

▢ Teach or facilitate a youth Spiritual Exploration (SE) class, program, or event, in collaboration with SE Director Caitlin Frauton (ucm.spiritualexploration@gmail.com).

▢ Join a Chalice Circle (watch for openings in the Fall and Spring), or attend an adult Spiritual Exploration program (contact Judith Hinds for details, watch the weekly e-news for upcoming events, or stop by the Welcome Table).

▢ Learn more about the religious beliefs/traditions of your parents or grandparents. If you wish, journal about your experiences afterward.

▢ Have a meaningful conversation with, listen to a sermon/speech by, and/or read a book or article by someone you consider a a spiritual leader (a minister, reverend, priest, bishop, rabbi, imam, teacher, scholar, guide, etc.).

▢ Share with a friend or family member (perhaps a young person) more about your own religious beliefs/traditions.

▢ Create and/or engage with a new or familiar spiritual practice meaningful to you and/or your friends and family. If you wish, journal about your experiences afterward.

▢ Choose your own adventure! Dive deeper to learn about our UU values of pluralism, transformation, and generosity (see above). Find ways to celebrate the diversity of our community; be open to change and collectively grow spiritually and ethically; and freely and compassionately share your faith, presence, and resources.

Pathway 4 – Serve Human Need

▢ Offer a financial gift, in any amount, within your means, to UCM’s General Fund and/or Community Pouch (donate at ucmvt.org, and/or during Worship on Sunday mornings). There are many ways to give ~ Members commit to at least one identifiable financial contribution each calendar year; all Members and Friends are encouraged to participate in our Annual Budget Drive, held each year beginning in March. Learn more at (https://ucmvt.org/donate/stewardship/)

▢ Volunteer with UCM’s Monday Community Lunch team (contact ucm.communitylunch@gmail.com for details, or sign up for various tasks using the signup link in the weekly e-news).

▢ Join UCM’s Women’s Alliance (WA), or participate in a WA program/service opportunity (see the weekly e-news for upcoming event info); or participate in one of UCM’s many active committees, groups, or teams (attend Activities Fair or contact Elaine Ball for details).

▢ Invite a neighbor or neighbor’s family over for dinner (Sign up at the Welcome Table to Host or Attend a Fall or Spring Circle Supper), and/or offer a friend or family member an unexpected kindness/gift – let them know you love and appreciate them.

▢ Volunteer with a local organization that directly serves people in need (Another Way; Capstone Community Action; Community Harvest of Central VT; Good Beginnings of Central VT;; Good Samaritan Haven; Montpelier Food Pantry; etc.).

▢ Choose your own adventure! Dive deeper to learn about our UU values of generosity, justice, and Love. Consider ways to connect with others in a spirit of gratitude and hope; and participate in our inclusive democratic processes by attending UCM’s Annual Meeting in May, contributing to making decisions within our congregation, the broader Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), and society at large.

Pathway 5 – Protect the Earth, our home

▢ Connect with UCM’s Climate Action Team (CAT) (contact Anne Sarcka); or help to care for our building & grounds by reaching out to the Gardening Team (contact Abby Colihan), or Peter Thoms for taking turns lawn-mowing or snow-shoveling outside and around our UCM building.

▢ Learn about climate change and climate justice – check out a book from UCM’s library; listen to a TED Talk/podcast/radio show/lecture; watch a related film; and/or have a meaningful conversation with a friend/family member about what you & they have learned about climate change. If you wish, journal about your experiences afterward.

▢ Take time to be outside, in nature — be still and listen, enjoy a walking meditation, and/or engage with an enjoyable outdoor activity such as gardening, walking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, swimming, playing, etc.

▢ Create some form of earth art (art inspired by and/or created with the natural world). If you wish, share what you have created with a friend/family member, and/or on social media.

▢ Attend and/or participate in an in-person or virtual nature-based learning/conservation program, lecture, workshop, class, service opportunity, or event. If possible, bring a friend/family member with you, and/or discuss your experience with them afterward!

▢ Volunteer with a local organization that directly protects, preserves, or works to save natural habitats, environments, and creatures (Audubon Vermont; Friends of the Winooski River; North Branch Nature Center; etc.).

▢ Choose your own adventure! Dive deeper to learn about our UU values of interdependence, transformation, and generosity. Find ways to protect the Earth and all beings from exploitation; create and nurture sustainable relationships of care, mutuality, and respect; collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically as we adapt to our changing world with gratitude and openness to change