Fear not, for God will be unto us a helper, a mariner, and a pilot. May God do unto us his servants and his little vessel as he willeth.
- Saint Brendan
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Patron Saint | Community Leader | Reflections | Location & Services
Membership | Email
Membership Information
About Membership
Perhaps one of the most unique characteristics of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community is that it is a non-proselytizing community. This means that we do not pressure people to become members of Saint Brendan's, nor do we actively engage in the kinds of evangelization methods employed by most traditional Christian churches.
This does not mean that we do not care about people's spiritual health or that we regard ourselves as specially "chosen" and therefore above the need to incorporate new members into our community. Far from it! Instead, our non-proselytizing policy reflects our core belief that all people are created in the image of God, from the very essence of God, and should not be treated as though their spiritual health is dependent on the acceptance of one particular spiritual path over another, for whatever reason. There are many paths to what is typically referred to as "God." While Saint Brendan's offers a path centered in a form of Celtic spirituality, we acknowledge that there are many other paths that are appropriate for those who feel called to travel them.
Unlike many traditional churches, Saint Brendan's does not claim to offer the only approach to faith or spirituality or even the best approach. Rather, we claim to offer one approach. We acknowledge that it is not the best approach for everyone, yet it is the right one for some. You may have already concluded that it is the right path for you, and that you are interested in taking that a step further by becoming a member of the community. This leads to a very important question: What does membership mean at Saint Brendan's, and how does one go about becoming a member?
At Saint Brendan's, membership is all about one thing: commitment to co-creating a nurturing spiritual community. You see, we believe that community is an important part of one's spirituality. While some may be called to be hermits, we tend to think that most people are not. Human beings are social creatures that need connections with other human beings in order to not only survive, but also to thrive. When it comes to following a spiritual path, such journeying is best experienced with other travelers. The very fact of the existence of so many different kinds of spiritual communities in the world lends credence to this idea that human spirituality is best experienced in the context of groups of people.
Fellow travelers on your spiritual path can help you when you struggle or stumble. They can lead you through territory that is unfamiliar to you. In some cases, they can protect you from dangers and pitfalls along the way. Remember that a path is not like a freeway. There is no pavement and there are no highway signs or lane markers. There is just a path, which meanders, climbs, drops, breaks, picks up again, etc. When traveling a spiritual path, it helps to have guides and companions that are familiar with the territory. That, in a way, is what membership at Saint Brendan's offers-spiritual companionship and support along the path.
To this end, Saint Brendan's Church has established two categories of membership in order to facilitate a sense of spiritual community for persons who find themselves in harmony with the spiritual values of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community. The first of these membership categories is Covenant Membership. Covenant Membership is designed for persons that reside near enough to the primary worship location of Saint Brendan's to fully and regularly participate in all aspects of its communal life.
The second membership category is that of Distance Membership. Distance Membership is designed for persons who reside farther from the primary meeting location of Saint Brendan's or who have limited mobility which prevents them from physically participating in services. This category of membership enables persons who share our community's values to form a connection with Saint Brendan's without the expectation of regular attendance. This category is particularly valuable for those that do not have access to a community like Saint Brendan's near their place of residence.
An informative booklet explaining Covenant Membership is available at our Sunday meeting location. This is the membership category for persons that live near enough to attend services regularly.
Since you are viewing this web page from a distant location, you might be interested in learning more about Distance Membership. An explanation of this membership category has been provided below as a means of aiding you in reflecting upon whether Distance Membership in Saint Brendan's might be appropriate for you.
Distance Membership
Distance Membership provides a means of connection to Saint Brendan's Church for those who share our community's values, but who, due to situations of physical distance or mobility, would be unable to fulfill the expectations of Covenant Membership. It has evolved in response to a deep need expressed by numerous "friends" of the community within and outside the United States that do not have access to a spiritual community like Saint Brendan's (meaning one that share its values and approaches to spirituality and worship) in close proximity to their residence.
Candidates for Distance Membership are persons that reside farther than 20 miles from Saint Brendan's primary meeting location or who have limited mobility which would prevent them from being physically present for Saint Brendan's worship services and other activities on a regular basis.
Aside from whatever intangible spiritual benefits a person may receive as a result of Distance Membership in Saint Brendan's Church, Distance Members are eligible to refer to themselves as members of Saint Brendan's Church, to receive electronic or print publications from Saint Brendan's, and stay in touch with us by means of web-based social networking and other appropriate community-building tools that the community may from time to time employ. Distance Members are regularly remembered in the prayers and liturgies that take place at our meeting locations. Distance Members are welcomed and encouraged to listen to reflections from our Sunday liturgies that are posted on the Saint Brendan's website, as well as to participate in the prayer life of Saint Brendan's wherever they are, and at whatever time they may choose. To facilitate this, a number of special liturgies are available which may be used by Distance Members on their own time, such as the Saint Brendan's Paidirean, Celtic and Solar Festival liturgies adapted for use by individuals, and other prayer services.
Distance Members are, in turn, encouraged to contribute to Saint Brendan's Church by regularly praying for the welfare of the community's life and work, as well as by providing such financial support as they are able and deem appropriate, though it should be noted that financial contribution is not a requirement for membership.
While the ideal expression of membership may be one in which people can physically gather together in a group setting for the purpose of divine encounter and fraternal fellowship, we recognize that there are other means of sharing spiritual communion that are not dependent upon time and space, and which are also meaningful and valuable. Distance Membership offers such means, and may fit the bill perfectly for your current life situation, providing you a means of communion with a community rooted in the values that you hold dear.
How to Become a Distance Member
If you have decided that you would like to become a Distance Member of Saint Brendan's, you need simply fill out and send in the Distance Membership Application Form, a copy of which may be obtained in PDF format by clicking here. The form consists of four sections. First, there is the membership application for use by persons aged 18 or older. Directly under it is the membership application for use of parents on behalf of their children under 18.
On the opposite side, there is a record of the applicant's contact information, baptismal information, and if applicable, confirmation information. Just under that there is a section for use by the Church Council regarding the disposition of your application, future changes in your membership status, etc.
On the application, you will assent to a number of statements, including that you have been baptized and that you are in general agreement with the spirituality of Saint Brendan's Church as outlined in the church bylaws. An explanation of baptism and the section of the bylaws outlining our spirituality may be obtained in PDF format by clicking here. Once your form has been completed and signed, you may mail it to the postal address provided on the form. If you have the ability to scan the signed form, it may be emailed instead. We do not currently have the ability to accept faxes.
Election to Membership
Once your signed application has been submitted, it will be voted upon at a meeting of the Church Council. You then be be considered a Distance Member. A welcome letter will be sent to Distance Members acknowledging their membership.
Once you have become a Distance Member of Saint Brendan's, you are invited to begin a deeper and richer spiritual journey with your fellow "virtual" members for as long as you feel called to do so. It the sincere hope of the members of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community that the journey will bring you much joy, and that you will grow in the knowledge and love of God (The Great Mystery), your fellow human beings, and all of creation, and that in the process you will do your part to bless and heal the world. So may it be. Amen.
Perhaps one of the most unique characteristics of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community is that it is a non-proselytizing community. This means that we do not pressure people to become members of Saint Brendan's, nor do we actively engage in the kinds of evangelization methods employed by most traditional Christian churches.
This does not mean that we do not care about people's spiritual health or that we regard ourselves as specially "chosen" and therefore above the need to incorporate new members into our community. Far from it! Instead, our non-proselytizing policy reflects our core belief that all people are created in the image of God, from the very essence of God, and should not be treated as though their spiritual health is dependent on the acceptance of one particular spiritual path over another, for whatever reason. There are many paths to what is typically referred to as "God." While Saint Brendan's offers a path centered in a form of Celtic spirituality, we acknowledge that there are many other paths that are appropriate for those who feel called to travel them.
Unlike many traditional churches, Saint Brendan's does not claim to offer the only approach to faith or spirituality or even the best approach. Rather, we claim to offer one approach. We acknowledge that it is not the best approach for everyone, yet it is the right one for some. You may have already concluded that it is the right path for you, and that you are interested in taking that a step further by becoming a member of the community. This leads to a very important question: What does membership mean at Saint Brendan's, and how does one go about becoming a member?
At Saint Brendan's, membership is all about one thing: commitment to co-creating a nurturing spiritual community. You see, we believe that community is an important part of one's spirituality. While some may be called to be hermits, we tend to think that most people are not. Human beings are social creatures that need connections with other human beings in order to not only survive, but also to thrive. When it comes to following a spiritual path, such journeying is best experienced with other travelers. The very fact of the existence of so many different kinds of spiritual communities in the world lends credence to this idea that human spirituality is best experienced in the context of groups of people.
Fellow travelers on your spiritual path can help you when you struggle or stumble. They can lead you through territory that is unfamiliar to you. In some cases, they can protect you from dangers and pitfalls along the way. Remember that a path is not like a freeway. There is no pavement and there are no highway signs or lane markers. There is just a path, which meanders, climbs, drops, breaks, picks up again, etc. When traveling a spiritual path, it helps to have guides and companions that are familiar with the territory. That, in a way, is what membership at Saint Brendan's offers-spiritual companionship and support along the path.
To this end, Saint Brendan's Church has established two categories of membership in order to facilitate a sense of spiritual community for persons who find themselves in harmony with the spiritual values of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community. The first of these membership categories is Covenant Membership. Covenant Membership is designed for persons that reside near enough to the primary worship location of Saint Brendan's to fully and regularly participate in all aspects of its communal life.
The second membership category is that of Distance Membership. Distance Membership is designed for persons who reside farther from the primary meeting location of Saint Brendan's or who have limited mobility which prevents them from physically participating in services. This category of membership enables persons who share our community's values to form a connection with Saint Brendan's without the expectation of regular attendance. This category is particularly valuable for those that do not have access to a community like Saint Brendan's near their place of residence.
An informative booklet explaining Covenant Membership is available at our Sunday meeting location. This is the membership category for persons that live near enough to attend services regularly.
Since you are viewing this web page from a distant location, you might be interested in learning more about Distance Membership. An explanation of this membership category has been provided below as a means of aiding you in reflecting upon whether Distance Membership in Saint Brendan's might be appropriate for you.
Distance Membership
Distance Membership provides a means of connection to Saint Brendan's Church for those who share our community's values, but who, due to situations of physical distance or mobility, would be unable to fulfill the expectations of Covenant Membership. It has evolved in response to a deep need expressed by numerous "friends" of the community within and outside the United States that do not have access to a spiritual community like Saint Brendan's (meaning one that share its values and approaches to spirituality and worship) in close proximity to their residence.
Candidates for Distance Membership are persons that reside farther than 20 miles from Saint Brendan's primary meeting location or who have limited mobility which would prevent them from being physically present for Saint Brendan's worship services and other activities on a regular basis.
Aside from whatever intangible spiritual benefits a person may receive as a result of Distance Membership in Saint Brendan's Church, Distance Members are eligible to refer to themselves as members of Saint Brendan's Church, to receive electronic or print publications from Saint Brendan's, and stay in touch with us by means of web-based social networking and other appropriate community-building tools that the community may from time to time employ. Distance Members are regularly remembered in the prayers and liturgies that take place at our meeting locations. Distance Members are welcomed and encouraged to listen to reflections from our Sunday liturgies that are posted on the Saint Brendan's website, as well as to participate in the prayer life of Saint Brendan's wherever they are, and at whatever time they may choose. To facilitate this, a number of special liturgies are available which may be used by Distance Members on their own time, such as the Saint Brendan's Paidirean, Celtic and Solar Festival liturgies adapted for use by individuals, and other prayer services.
Distance Members are, in turn, encouraged to contribute to Saint Brendan's Church by regularly praying for the welfare of the community's life and work, as well as by providing such financial support as they are able and deem appropriate, though it should be noted that financial contribution is not a requirement for membership.
While the ideal expression of membership may be one in which people can physically gather together in a group setting for the purpose of divine encounter and fraternal fellowship, we recognize that there are other means of sharing spiritual communion that are not dependent upon time and space, and which are also meaningful and valuable. Distance Membership offers such means, and may fit the bill perfectly for your current life situation, providing you a means of communion with a community rooted in the values that you hold dear.
How to Become a Distance Member
If you have decided that you would like to become a Distance Member of Saint Brendan's, you need simply fill out and send in the Distance Membership Application Form, a copy of which may be obtained in PDF format by clicking here. The form consists of four sections. First, there is the membership application for use by persons aged 18 or older. Directly under it is the membership application for use of parents on behalf of their children under 18.
On the opposite side, there is a record of the applicant's contact information, baptismal information, and if applicable, confirmation information. Just under that there is a section for use by the Church Council regarding the disposition of your application, future changes in your membership status, etc.
On the application, you will assent to a number of statements, including that you have been baptized and that you are in general agreement with the spirituality of Saint Brendan's Church as outlined in the church bylaws. An explanation of baptism and the section of the bylaws outlining our spirituality may be obtained in PDF format by clicking here. Once your form has been completed and signed, you may mail it to the postal address provided on the form. If you have the ability to scan the signed form, it may be emailed instead. We do not currently have the ability to accept faxes.
Election to Membership
Once your signed application has been submitted, it will be voted upon at a meeting of the Church Council. You then be be considered a Distance Member. A welcome letter will be sent to Distance Members acknowledging their membership.
Once you have become a Distance Member of Saint Brendan's, you are invited to begin a deeper and richer spiritual journey with your fellow "virtual" members for as long as you feel called to do so. It the sincere hope of the members of Saint Brendan's Celtic Community that the journey will bring you much joy, and that you will grow in the knowledge and love of God (The Great Mystery), your fellow human beings, and all of creation, and that in the process you will do your part to bless and heal the world. So may it be. Amen.
Saint Brendan's Celtic Community Shop
Help us spread the word about Saint Brendan's with products that bear our logo. You can find out more at Saint Brendan's Celtic Community Shop. All products are provided at cost. We're not interested in making money, just in spreading the word about our progressive Celtic spiritual community!Copyright 2012 Saint Brendan's Celtic Community
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