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Mrs.Anteater said:
Oh, my. I think the best thing to scare new people away is to tell them all the opportunities to volunteer within the first couple of weeks.
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I spotted an opportunity and grabbed it when I started going to the UU fellowship. Their website was a flipping mess and I knew enough HTML to be dangerous. So I volunteered to manage it and ended up doing a major redesign. That naturally led to editing the newsletter and sitting on the communications committee (they had a lot of committees back then). And I was starting to do services, then, too but it was not until after I shed the website (outsourced) and newsletter (taken over by staff) that I started sitting on the worship committee and becoming a leader in that area. Oh, and I was also the volunteer IT consultant for several years when I was the only member with a suitable skillset for that.

And that was all me grabbing opportunities to use skills I had, not people shoving them in my face and smiling.

So I agree with you that hitting a new member with a list of needs and going, "hey, any of these appeal?" can be off-putting but it is also important to be open to and accept when a new member wants a chance to use their skills in the service of the congregation, esp. if that brings new skills into the congregation's administration and leadership.
 
Take life without excessive seriousness ... as it won't last! Given our input of self destructive nature in developing distaste for the alternate side ... and feeling we can do without ... and there we dash ... the flood is continuous as brains drain cereus solutions ... part of the immunization system and you know how folks are about learning systems ... despicable ... the picas factor! They vary ...
 
Mendalla said:
I spotted an opportunity and grabbed it when I started going to the UU fellowship. Their website was a flipping mess and I knew enough HTML to be dangerous. So I volunteered to manage it and ended up doing a major redesign. That naturally led to editing the newsletter and sitting on the communications committee (they had a lot of committees back then). And I was starting to do services, then, too but it was not until after I shed the website (outsourced) and newsletter (taken over by staff) that I started sitting on the worship committee and becoming a leader in that area. Oh, and I was also the volunteer IT consultant for several years when I was the only member with a suitable skillset for that.

And that was all me grabbing opportunities to use skills I had, not people shoving them in my face and smiling.

So I agree with you that hitting a new member with a list of needs and going, "hey, any of these appeal?" can be off-putting but it is also important to be open to and accept when a new member wants a chance to use their skills in the service of the congregation, esp. if that brings new skills into the congregation's administration and leadership.
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Fits the anti unionist theory of de socialization ... and thus anonymity when fully expectorated ... thus spit out of the paradigm!
 
I didn't push volunteering on the new member...but I did paint a picture of what we are all about. I think that's better than saying...yep, you're a member now, and pretty sure we won't ever see you again. Something like baptism. I don't think it's fair to anyone to welcome members yet the members have no idea what they are becoming a member of.
 
If one has no idea ... is that like the great forgetting as an unknown?

Some believe there is nothing to the great unknown in their esteemed vision of all that is ... something curtailed by some extremist that has no appreciation for what isn't yet known!

In the eternal world there appears to be no end to it! An objective view as not common with the subjective as thoroughly subjugated by God knows what ...

Thus there is a great more to it!

To get there from here one needs a vast sense of balance ... a sense of instability to many? Des tabled and thus the horse was out ...
 
Good morning, all! Today we are thankful for volunteers (bless 'em all!) for all they do. We also concern ourselves with new people who are suddenly inundated with 'opportunities' to volunteer, contribute assist, etc. to The Great Mission, whatever it might be, Let us gather round the coffee cart and share concerns and find support, along with hot beverages. Allis ready, come and get it.

C(_)/ c(_) c\_/ c[_]
 
Nancy said:
I don't think it's fair to anyone to welcome members yet the members have no idea what they are becoming a member of.
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Wouldn’t that be a conversation the minister or delegates has to have as to why someone wants to become a member? Or is becoming a member just a formality- sign here, we are glad we have one more?
The Catholics used to have a whole evening course you have to take ( to know what you are getting yourself into).
If you want to become a Quaker, you will be going through a process with a small group who will explore your motivation and in return speak about Quaker values, before they make a decision to support your “ application”.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
Wouldn’t that be a conversation the minister or delegates has to have as to why someone wants to become a member? Or is becoming a member just a formality- sign here, we are glad we have one more?
The Catholics used to have a whole evening course you have to take ( to know what you are getting yourself into).
If you want to become a Quaker, you will be going through a process with a small group who will explore your motivation and in return speak about Quaker values, before they make a decision to support your “ application”.
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Motivation to connect to a weird network ... like a web that knows no end? There be motes overhead ... captivating appreciation? Some catch it some don't ...
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
Wouldn’t that be a conversation the minister or delegates has to have as to why someone wants to become a member? Or is becoming a member just a formality- sign here, we are glad we have one more?
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When I joined the UU fellowship, it was actually the latter (just sign on the dotted line). Once they had a full-time permanent minister (which is part of what prompted me to finally sign up, I really liked that minister and the impressive level of support she got in the vote), the minister introduced a membership "workshop" for people interested in joining. I think the Membership Committee has kept that up even now that they are lay-led again.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
Wouldn’t that be a conversation the minister or delegates has to have as to why someone wants to become a member? Or is becoming a member just a formality- sign here, we are glad we have one more?
The Catholics used to have a whole evening course you have to take ( to know what you are getting yourself into).
If you want to become a Quaker, you will be going through a process with a small group who will explore your motivation and in return speak about Quaker values, before they make a decision to support your “ application”.
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You are so right Mrs. Anteater. But I live in a world where that isn't happening. In fact, I was told to make out the adult baptism certificate and a membership certificate because the individual wanted it but probably wouldn't really be part of our congregation. So, I'm just trying to sneak in a little of what I think needs to be done in a way I can do it. The minister approved of what I wrote up. I live in a church that has decided that they will probably slowly die out, and we might as well spend all our savings, and then fade away. I can accept closure eventually, if that's what needs to happen. But I want to do the best we can while we are a functioning church.

Anyway, in this room for all...Good morning.
 
Closure the end of the great blossoming and thus Psyche and Sophia go under cover ... separated from the raging emotions! Nu Minas as extracted ... as numinous ... odd glow?
 
Good morning. It's a smokey day here so far. The smoke from Washington state and Hope BC rolled in yesterday. My lungs are not impressed. That being said, my thoughts are with friends up north who must be dealing with far more smoke from a fire in that area. Areas around Hudson's Hope have been evaluated. Scary times up there.
 
Northwind said:
Good morning. It's a smokey day here so far. The smoke from Washington state and Hope BC rolled in yesterday. My lungs are not impressed. That being said, my thoughts are with friends up north who must be dealing with far more smoke from a fire in that area. Areas around Hudson's Hope have been evaluated. Scary times up there.
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hmmm - as if the people of Hope BC need another thing to contend with. Weather Network says Vancouver has the worst air quality ON EARTH today!! Hoping your poor lungs will not be too badly affected :-( Must be very difficult.
 
Today I finally started a task I've been procrasting on - cleaning out the hall closet. Where the heck did all those tablecloths come from???? I have posted some on the local free-cycle page, but no takers yet. I have a few more - but I will wait a bit. Hmmm ... nobody setting nice tables anymore? Also got the various sheets sorted by size so I can donate to the Fresh Start Project as called for in the next couple of weeks. And I free-cycled two older but still very useful small digital cameras. There's some drawer space opening up too with those & their parapharnalia gone!! Still have other stuff in that closet to attend to - maybe tomorrow.

Reading a bit for a church book club that starts tomorrow - book is Indigenous Canadian author Alicia Elliot who lives not far from here on the Six Nations Reserve. Book is "A Mind Spread Out on the Ground." Has anybody else read it?
 
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