First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh

  605 Morewood Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2999
  412-621-8008

Lifespan Faith Development

Adult Faith Development - Path to Membership

The Path to Membership includes several different steps which guide newcomers toward the rewards and responsibilities of membership with First Unitarian Church.

Membership Orientation

> Sundays: March 4, 11 & 18, 12:30pm - 2:15pm

> Sundays: April 15, 22 & 29, 12:30pm - 2:15pm

If you have decided that you would like to become a member of First Unitarian Church, or if you are considering membership but you would like to learn more, or if you simply would like to know how to become more involved with this religious community, please attend our Membership Orientation. This orientation is a three-session class for people new to Unitarian Universalism or new to First Unitarian Church. It provides several opportunities for personal spiritual exploration, an overview of the history of Unitarian Universalism and the history of First Unitarian Church, a chance to learn more about our groups and activities, and information about becoming a member of First Unitarian Church. You will have an opportunity to become an official member at the end of the third session.

You may register online for Membership Orientation by visiting the church website, www.first-unitarianpgh. org, and then following the “Registration Forms” link to the “Path to Membership” link. Alternatively, you may register by contacting Program Assistant Sandy Regan at 412/621- 8008, X107, or sregan@firstunitarian- pgh.org. The course will be led by The Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker, Joel Gilbertson-White and members of the Membership Committee.

Register

A Chosen Faith

> 7:30 to 9:15 PM, Dates TBA

If you have completed the Membership Orientation and you would like to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, please consider attending this six-session course. Based on the book A Chosen Faith by John Buehrens and Forrest Church, this course provides an opportunity for participants to learn about the people, the ideas, and the events that have shaped Unitarian Universalism over the past two hundred years. All church members and friends are welcome to attend even if they have been part of First Unitarian Church for some time. This course will be taught by Rev. Tom Bodie, a former intern minister here at First Unitarian Church who is now Consulting Minister with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Smithton, Pennsylvania. You may register online by visiting the church website, www.first-unitarian-pgh.org, and then following the “Registration Forms” link to the “Path to Membership” link. The dates and times of this course are listed above. The fee for this course will be $20 which will go toward the honorarium for our guest presenter.

Covenant Group Orientation

> Saturday, March 31, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Approximately one hundred and sixty members and friends of First Unitarian Church currently participate in seventeen different covenant groups. These groups provide a way for people to build relationships with one another and to pursue their own personal spiritual growth. We strongly encourage everyone in our religious community to become part of a covenant group, and the best way to do this is to attend the Covenant Group Orientation. Please the Program Guide for a more complete description of our covenant group program.

The course will be led by the Rev. Robin L. Zucker and members of the Covenant Group Advisory Committee.

Register

Expectations of Membership

We have high expectations of all of our members here at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh.

> We expect you to attend church regularly on Sunday mornings. Regular attendance at church enables us to connect with one another and with the ongoing spiritual life of this religious community.

> We expect you to pursue your own personal spiritual growth. We believe that each of us is responsible for working toward our own spiritual growth, seeking our own understanding of our life’s purpose and meaning within the context of a caring and thoughtful religious community. For this reason, we strongly encourage all members of First Unitarian Church to become part of a covenant group, a music performance group, a social justice group, or an affinity group within this congregation.

> We expect you to offer service to First Unitarian Church and to the larger community. Each of us is encouraged to put our faith into action. When you become a member of this church, you become part of our shared ministry. Becoming part of our shared ministry includes caring for one another and caring for our religious community as a whole. Becoming part of our shared ministry also includes social justice ministry or social service ministry with the larger community.

> We expect you to offer generous financial support to this church. Membership in our religious community carries with it the expectation that all of us will make financial contributions reflecting both our own personal circumstances and the church’s aspirations toward greater fulfillment of our mission. We ask that all members of First Unitarian Church make a “fair share” pledge of at least three percent (3%) of total household income.

We look forward to you becoming an active member of our church community!