Our new Membership Plan, titled Belonging; Relationship is Everything is available on our website and on the bulletin board. We urge you to become familiar with it.
In the 2022 – 2023 Annual Vision of Ministry, the Board charged the Ministry Team Leader with creating a Membership Plan. The plan has two purposes: Part I proposes a membership strategy endorsed by the Board of Trustees; Part II proposes a tactical plan for implementation with the staff and congregation by the Membership Team under the direction of the Minister of Congregational Life.
The plan considers the role of the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge in the religious movement that is Unitarian Universalism (UU). It expands upon the idea of a faith tradition that looks beyond the goal of increasing numerical membership to consider what a full spectrum of engagement in our UU faith might look like. It views membership as a process rather than the goal. The process is a gradual progression from lesser to greater commitment that neither begins nor ends at the point of formal joining. Numerical growth, which we value for empowering us to change the world and affirming that our congregation is a place of positive transformation, cannot be our only definition of success; this plan concentrates on creating a sense of belonging.
We hope to involve the entire congregation in the process called preemptive radical hospitality. We aim to focus on moving from individualism to becoming a beloved community of communities where all who embrace UU values can experience a sense of belonging. By practicing the platinum rule of treating everyone the way they want to be treated, we will help those of all cultures at all points on the faith spectrum feel they belong. Our distinguishing characteristic will be that we are a people who belong to one another. May we covenant together, making voluntary commitments with our spiritual neighbors, viewing one another as kindred spirits, and interacting with love and compassion to make the world a better place.
Given the Board’s endorsement of the Part I strategy, the team has begun implementing the tactics in Part II. The plan covers now through May 2026, with a focus on creating an annual membership calendar. It will be updated depending on strategic planning, an adult faith development program, Annual Visions of Ministry, congregational foundations such as mission, vision, and covenant, as well as the Article II work at the UUA.
Please begin to become familiar with the plan. We hope everyone will embrace our practice of radical hospitality.