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Becoming a Member
We all yearn for a meaningful life, to express ourselves fully, to make a difference in the world. Yet, many people feel something is lacking in their lives. Often what is missing is belonging to a spiritual community, the kind of loving, caring and supportive community we have here at the Unitarian Society of Germantown.
USG Vision Statement
We are a liberal religious community using our combined resources to demonstrate faith, caring and love; exploring spiritual frontiers; and sharing in the struggle for truth, justice, equality and humanitarianism.
The Mission of the Unitarian Society of Germantown is to meet the spiritual aspirations of people of a free faith through inspiring worship and music, supporting multigenerational life-long religious education, providing a loving, caring, welcoming, and diverse community, and creating opportunities to put the Unitarian Universalist principles into practice in our local community.
At USG, membership involves mutual commitment.Our church commits to provide members:
• Excellent worship experiences
• Caring and outreach
• Faith development opportunities
• Service opportunities
• Spiritual education for all ages
Individual members commit to provide:
• Regular attendance at worship services
• Work on personal faith development
• Financial generosity to USG
• Volunteer service to USG
• Service to the larger community
Joining the community of the Unitarian Society of Germantown is not difficult. There is no creed you must swear to. However, we strive to live by the following statement of principles.
The Seven UU Principles
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:
• The inherent worth and dignity of every person
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Before you commit yourself to our church, we hope you will learn more about our principles and purposes through reading, worship services, classes, and discussions with members and our minister, the Rev. Kent Matthies.
We strongly recommend that, as one step on your path to membership, you attend one of our monthly UU 101 classes. UU-101 is a one-hour introduction to Unitarian Universalism for visitors and new members. It is held on the second Sunday of each month in the Daskam Room (second floor) at 9:30am, and childcare is provided. Attendees will receive a free copy of The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. If you wish to attend, please RSVP by the Friday before the second Sunday. For more information or to RSVP, send an email to UU101@usguu.org or contact group leaders Howard Silver at 215-884-2734 and Linda Bernstein at 215-842-0560.We receive people into membership several times throughout the year. The next Membership Ceremony date can be found in the weekly email announcements and in the monthly CommUUnicator newsletter.
Please contact our Membership Chair, Delores Hill, at membership@usguu.org or 215-247-7338 for more information about the membership process. Membership in our church brings with it responsibilities and expectations. A community is only as strong as its members and that strength comes from participation, service, gifts of time and money, individual growth, and caring and support of each other.
Our church’s responsibilities to its members:
To honor and celebrate the diversity of our community
Our church community seeks to be diverse, inclusive of all ages, races, sexual orientations, abilities, and economic circumstances. Diversity is a strength and we hope you will share in celebrating it.
To provide opportunities for growth
You can expect excellent worship services, social, educational, and spiritual outlets and opportunities to broaden friendships and self-understanding. You can expect to be challenged in your theological assumptions, nudged to explore beyond the accepted and everyday religious "sound bites," urged to deepen and celebrate your spirituality, and to be supported in your search for a meaningful faith. Through classes such as “Articulating Your UU Faith” and groups such as Small Group Ministries, you will learn about Unitarian Universalist history and theology as well as regular spiritual disciplines.
To provide support and comfort
Here you can expect a community that will support and comfort you during personal and family transitions and passages. When you are in need, please contact the Minister, our Dir. of Religious Education, Jude Henzy or our Caring Committee Co-Chair, Sarah West (215-984-8359; caring@usguu.org)
To be tolerant and accepting
You can expect to find free-thinking religious liberals who place great value on freedom, reason and tolerance. We encourage and promote various theological perspectives within our community.
To provide religious education for children
If you have children, you can expect an environment and programs that will support them in their own questioning and searching. We have an outstanding children's program with high commitment from our adults.
To attend church regularly
Communal worship is extremely important to the life of our church. If you do not partake of it often, you are less likely to feel connected to the spiritual heart of the church.
To work on your own spiritual development
Unitarian Universalists have no dogma. We believe that each of us is capable of discovering religious truth as it is revealed to us in our lives and within our church community. We each take responsibility for our own spiritual well being with the support of the church.
To financially support the church.
We don't require a specific level of giving, but an identifiable monetary gift is required of all members each fiscal year. We do encourage generous, regular financial support. This year we asked every church member (or member household) to give a bigger, bolder and more generous pledge than ever. We requested that congregants contribute a quarter-tithe, or 2.5 percent of their annual income. Some of our congregants give 5 percent and more. These members are not necessarily wealthy; they are, however, convinced that pledging generously is a significant act of covenant to USG. Don't give until it hurts; give until you feel good, and know that your contribution sustains our spiritual home, the Unitarian Society of Germantown. Letter from Reverend Kent to prospective members.
Many tasks and activities of the church community are not done for you but by you. These tasks vary from being an usher at Sunday services to serving on the Board of Trustees. The church community needs hands, hearts and minds. We practice congregational polity, which means that members are the church's final authority. We have annual congregational meetings and special meetings during the year. Your participation is important.
To serve the larger community
We commit our faith to action and express our beliefs through our actions. The church provides many opportunities for social action. Acts of caring are an essential part of belonging to a faith community. In addition, our neighborhoods offer opportunities to express our faith through social action. Recognize that you are part of something bigger than the local church community. We encourage you to become more deeply involved in city, state or national issues.
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©2008 The Unitarian Society of Germantown
6511 Lincoln Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19119-3625
Phone: (215)-844-1157
The Unitarian Society of Germantown, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, serves the communities of Abington (zip code 19001), Ambler (zip code 19002), Elkins Park (zip code 19027), Glenside (zip code 19038), Jenkintown (zip code 19046), Merion Station (zip code 19066), Narberth (zip code 19072), Oreland (zip code 19075), Havertown (zip code 19083), Wyncote (zip code 19095), Wynnewood (zip code 19096), Philadelphia Chestnut Hill (zip code 19118), Wyndmoor (zip code 19118), Philadelphia Mt. Airy (zip code 19119), Philadelphia Roxborough (zip code 19128), Philadelphia East Falls (zip code 19129), Philadelphia Spring Garden (zip code 19130), Philadelphia Fairmount (zip code 19130), Philadelphia Wynnefield (zip code 19131), Philadelphia Germantown (zip code 19144), Blue Bell (zip code 19422), Gwyned (zip code 19436, Lansdale (zip code 19446), Bala Cynwyd (zip code 19004), Lafayette Hill (zip code 19444), Melrose Park (zip code 19027), Roslyn (zip code 19001), Rydan (zip code 19046), Laverock (zip code 19038), Plymouth Meeting (zip code 19462) , Flourtown (zip code 19031), Erdenheim, Cheltenham (zip code 19012), and Ft. Washington (zip code 19034). Visitors from any other location are equally welcome.