How to Join

The Rev. Dr. Suzanne Redfern-Campbell, left front, gives flowers to
new church members at a New Member Ingathering in Spring 2011.

We strongly encourage prospective new members of our church to attend an orientation class with our minister before seeking to join. These classes are offered periodically during the regular church year from September through May and will be listed on the Special Events page.

When the orientation class is not currently scheduled, information about the next class may be obtained by contacting our Minister or the Church Administrator.
       Church Phone: 573-442-5764
       Minister Email
       Church Administrator Email

As members of a church rich in tradition, we design this class to show how our church life fits into a larger historical context. The class covers the history of our Unitarian and Universalist traditions and the development of the theologies that formed the "Free Church" concept. The class emphasizes the responsibilities of membership.

Prospective new members also can learn more about our church and Unitarian Universalism by reading free brochures we make available in our greeting area. We also have a number of books on Unitarian Universalism available for purchase at our book table.

We periodically conduct a New Member Ingathering Ceremony during a worship service (see photo above of an Ingathering Ceremony). In this ceremony, new members sign the membership book and are introduced to the congregation. Then the new members and congregation join in the reading of our covenant.

New members become eligible to vote on issues decided by the congregation 60 days after joining.

Our bylaws provide that any person at least 16 years old (1) who is in agreement with the purposes of our church as specified in the bylaws (see next paragraph) and (2) who makes a financial contribution to the church may become a member by signing and dating the membership book in the presence of the minister or a member of the Board of Trustees. The financial requirement is set by the Board and may be waived in individual cases at the discretion of the Board or Minister.

The purposes of our church specified in our bylaws with which new members are expected to agree are:

• To proclaim freedom of expression of truth by the minister and members of the congregation in the spirit of our free faith;

• To strengthen one another in a free and disciplined search for truth as the foundation of our religious organization;

• To provide a milieu conducive to spiritual growth;

• To cherish and spread the universal truths taught by the great prophets and teachers of humanity in every age and tradition;

• To affirm, defend, and promote the supreme worth of every human personality, the dignity of all people, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships;

• To implement our vision of one world by striving to build a world community founded on ideals of fellowship, liberty, justice, and peace;

• To encourage cooperation with people of good will in every land and to promote compassion in human relations;

• To respect and appreciate the interdependent web of all existence; and

• To serve the needs of the members of this church insofar as a religious organization such as this is able.

In order to join our church, a prospective member need not subscribe to any creedal confession or belief statement. One does not have to "convert" to Unitarian Universalism, nor is it necessary to renounce a previous faith.

In our and other UU churches, prospective members also are not required to be or become baptized. Indeed, infant baptism as it is understood in Christian churches is not practiced in UU churches. Instead, we conduct an infant dedication ceremony in which parents commit to raise their child in accordance with UU ideals and the congregation covenants to nurture and embrace the child within the fabric of our church community.

Anyone is welcome to visit our church. One need not be a member to participate in most of the life of the congregation. Visitors should feel free to attend Sunday services and congregational events for a while before deciding whether to join.