Intro to UU: A Pathway to Membership at UUTampa: Next Steps 

Visitors and seekers are always welcome at UU Tampa, and the Membership Committee is pleased to offer several steps for those who may be interested in joining. While we do not “push” membership, exploring how to become a member answers a lot of common questions and offers the best way to get to know us.

Step #1—New to UU

 At our New to UU gathering you are invited to a meet and greet with our membership team.  We will begin 10 minutes after service ends and meet in the Sanctuary. Expect to spend about an hour together.  We’ll explore :

• What brought you to UUTampa
• Your faith journey
• Your big questions about UUism
• Secrets to getting connected
• Information on Pathways to Membership (long-time attendees and people who were members of other UU church will get information about signing the membership book).

Step #2 Intro to UU Workshop

Membership in any faith community should be a serious decision. We want to offer you information so that you may make an informed decision, understand what membership means, ask questions, make connections and begin to develop your own identity as a Unitarian Universalist.

We’ll explore

• A little about UU history
• Our principles, sources, and covenant
• Ways to connect and become involved
• Benefits and responsibilities of membership.

Intro to UU is offered several times a year. It consists of about three to four hours of conversation, learning, and connecting.

Step #3 Plugin

Helping out on Sunday morning is the easiest and the best way to get to know this community AND help us make all our hospitality efforts successful. Helping greet, usher, ensuring coffee is hot, and being a friendly face is a great way to help visitors who come after you find among us a welcoming community!  There is an invitation for you to become part of the community by helping, and that you grow as a UU by learning! We look forward to journeying with you!

When do I get a name tag?

This is a common question!  Once you have completed Intro to UU, and sign the Membership Book your permanent name tag will be ordered. Until you have come through that process we ask that you wear a temporary name tag. It helps us see you, engage with you and invite you more fully into the life of our community!

UU CHURCH OF TAMPA NEXT STEPS …..Is Joining mandatory?

•        NO!

Ours is a voluntary community built on a covenant. We will not force you to become a member. After you complete the “Intro to UU” course you will be invited to join, but may decide to wait.  Joining means you are ready to grow and contribute to our future here in Tampa!

• I’m not a joiner…

The aversion to joining is common. One of the cultural pulls we feel is that of consumerism, in other words, we tend, if we’re not careful, to use without reciprocating. We resist that idea as UUs. Joining means you are committed to your own spiritual growth and you believe others deserve that right as well.  Joining should only come after learning about us, understanding what covenant means and deciding you will participate in the future of liberal religion’s future in the Tampa area. We want you to find the right place!

• Ways to become involved

Helping out on Sundays, volunteering in Religious Exploration, Small Group Ministry (Chalice Circles), attending Vespers, joining the choir, Adult Exploration classes, Social Justice activities, Care Ministry, Tuesday meditation, Monday MUUsic, helping care for our grounds…we have a place for your gifts and talents!

What do I do?

• Congratulations! You have questions about our community and Unitarian Universalism. We love that!

• While we do not “push” membership, exploring how to become a member answers a lot of common questions and offers the best way to get to know us.

• If you are new to Tampa and are a member in good standing at another UU church, we encourage you to take our Intro class. Each UU community is different and we want to get to know you better.

[table “11” not found /]