We’ve all had the experience of walking into a room where a conversation was in progress. We were able to understand a little of what people were saying, but a lot of references went over our head because we didn’t have the benefit of what had gone on before. It can be like that if you’re a…

Ever wonder why friends and members leave your church? The Membership Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (UUCB) in Kensington, CA (526 members), did and went to the trouble of conducting exit interviews. It’s a process that can tell you a lot about whether people feel…

Last fall was not the first time the basement of the First Unitarian Universalist (UU) Society of Marietta, OH (94 members), had flooded. Situated just blocks from the Ohio and the Muskingum rivers, flooding goes with the territory….

When Carol Hosmer found it necessary to temporarily drop out of her church ten years ago to deal with some family dynamics that were consuming much of her time, she discovered something uncomfortable. It seemed that no one missed her. She explains: “It was a mid-to-large-size congregation and one…

Q. Our church administrator has trouble getting work done because of frequent interruptions from people who ask questions they should know the answers to. What can we do? A. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IN, created a three-page document that answers many of the questions that…

Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, CO, start each Sunday with 10 minutes of Morningsong—a hymn sing just before the official start of the service. The practice started with one or two hymns and now is up to three. Minister of Music Keith Arnold says Morningsong is used to teach new hymns, sing…

Should congregations borrow money from their own members for capital improvement projects? It’s an option that some congregations have used, but it’s not without pitfalls. “There are all sorts of reasons why it’s not a good idea,” said Wayne Clark, the Unitarian Universalist…

They go by various names—circle suppers, dinner for eight, second Friday suppers. When they work well they bring friends, newcomers, and members of the congregation together monthly to share food and get acquainted. They can be a powerful tool for creating community in any sized congregation. But…

Collected thoughts and inspiration for Membership Committees from InterConnections, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) newsletter for board members and professional staff of all Unitarian Universalist congregations. —Don Skinner, Editor Visitors must be greeted and talked with at coffee…

This document is intended as a guide for use in forming and organizing membership committees. It is based on a two hundred to four hundred member congregation, but its numbers and functions can be expanded or contracted to meet the needs of your particular congregation….