It occurs to me that many of you reading this newsletter are relatively new to our merry band of spiritual seekers and social justice makers. Here is the beginning of an overview of our religious institution, as it relates to membership.

First thing: If you are a member or a friend, and haven’t attended in a while, we would love to see your spring time faces. Come home to Cleaves Street! We invite you to come Sunday morning and worship with us. We need you and want you here.

If you don’t understand any of the following, please don’t hesitate to ask me or a Board member or a member of the Membership Committee any questions—a link to the list of Board members and Committee chairs is at the end of this newsletter.

As a congregation whose mission is to be “a loving and welcoming religious community, striving to grow spiritually, to live our values through worship and service, and to build a more just and peaceful world,” one might wonder how all of this is accomplished! A lot of what happens here is done by you! We depend on our members and friends for their time, their treasure, and their talent. Please give us as much time as you can, whenever you can. This can look like volunteering for the nursery in case a baby comes with a parent who could use a break. This can look like serving on a committee, saying YES when someone asks if you want to help to plan an event, or put up a flyer. This can look like volunteering to teach our children one Sunday a year or staffing the thrift shop one Friday or Saturday this summer. We can always use help with keeping our garden looking amazing.

As for treasure, this can be as straightforward as putting a check in the plate for worship: Helping to pay our amazing musicians or buying some more aqua hymnals; helping to pay for a special guest.

We depend on your pledges, an annual promise of any amount you choose, to support the good works of this congregation. Please know that whatever you give us, from $20, to $2000, it should mean something to you; it should give you a sense that you belong here, that you have an investment in the place, and power over what happens here. Please know that no matter the size of your gift, we will be grateful for it. And while I believe we join churches to support them, there is no financial requirement for becoming a member.

Please share your talents with us. Are you a wonderful singer who doesn’t have time to join the choir but may want to sing a solo? Come talk to me or Laura Evans. Are you handy with a hammer? Talk to the Buildings and Grounds Committee, chaired by Mary Francis. They are always in need of some heavy lifting. How about art? Are you a painter, a sculptor, a quilter? We would love to show your work in our ever changing art shows in the vestry. Speak with Judy Metcalfe. During worship, do you ever think you might want to do a reading? Or perhaps speak on a topic close to your heart? There is a Worship Committee and we are always looking for ways to enhance our Sunday morning experience. The current chair is Chris Doyle.

Do you wonder what else is expected of you as a member?

We ask people to be in charge of coffee and refreshments about twice a year. Of course, you don’t have to do this! If you are worried about money, speak to me and we will make sure to take care of it in a confidential manner. If you are assigned Coffee Hour, (and the newsletter lists two months of coffee hour and assignments), you will see that you need to buy cream or half and half, some fruit, perhaps cheese and crackers, maybe something sweet. Keep it simple—One package of cookies is fine! If you don’t know how to make coffee, don’t worry! We will never ask you to do coffee hour alone. You will always be assigned to do it with someone who has done it before. Plus, the newsletter has a set of instructions. I am usually around early and love to make coffee. Please ask for help! This summer, we will have the cookies in the kitchen for you, so the coffee making and clean-up is all that will be needed.

If you read the newsletter and see that you are assigned in the middle of June, and know you will be away, call someone in the Directory or the membership list (New members are given these and Jenna Olson (UUSR Administrator) can also provide one via email. It is a great way to get to know someone new and most people will be happy to switch with you.

Another expectation is that you will be ushering once or twice a year. If your hips or knees are not in great shape, just call Jenna and explain that you can’t be on the Usher list. We really want to make life easy for you. Again, we print two months of the ushering schedule in every Newsletter so check to see when it will be your turn.

As a member, we hope you will attend congregational meetings when they are called. A democracy is only as effective as those willing to participate. We hold two big meetings a year: One is in November, and at that meeting, the budget is reviewed for the following year and voted on. Additionally, the Board of Trustees is elected. What’s the Board of Trustees? You’ll have to ask someone or wait until next month! The second meeting is usually held in July and we review the budget to make sure that we are on the beam. From time to time, other special meetings take place. If you are a member, we really want you to attend these meetings and make our democracy real.

Happy Spring! Welcome to our congregation; we are so pleased you are here, and want to do all we can do to make you feel at home. If you are confused by an announcement, or just wondering what something in the eblast means, please call the UUSR office at 978-546-2989, and we will try to answer your questions.

With all good wishes for your happiness and satisfaction with the UU Society of Rockport. We are so glad you have made your way to us! See you at 4 Cleaves Street.

–Rev Susan