Importance of Membership
At the Annual Meeting, members set the direction of UUSM for the coming year, by electing a Board of Directors and passing an annual budget to guide financial decisions. Your vote is important to decide how we will best steward and allocate our resources.
UUSM Bylaws state that to become a member, an individual must:
• Sign the membership packet’s registration form, a statement of intent to
become an active member in the community life of the Church.
• Reside within the Pacific Western Region of the Unitarian Universalist
Association (PSWD-UUA).
• Be at least sixteen years of age or have successfully completed the Church’s
Coming of Age Program.
• Make a financial contribution of record to the Church, or a pledge to do so.
To help answer questions and facilitate your integration into our community, you are encouraged to meet with the Minister or Membership Committee chairperson. New members sign the membership book as the statement of intent, a tradition that connects new members with existing membership and past generations of members. Completion of the membership packet also represents a statement of intent.
Membership then begins as of the next Board meeting, when a new member’s name is read into the minutes. Forty days after that date, the new member becomes a Voting Member and is eligible to vote, directly or by proxy, at Church Business and Annual Meetings. Members then determine our next board of directors, budget, and path forward in the coming year.
UUSM provides regular classes and resources to potential members to explore the many ways one can serve this church and the wider community. Please feel free to contact any member of the Board for questions or help with membership.
Norm Richey
Chair, Membership Committee
Chair, Membership Committee