Membership

Welcome

The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is an ethics-centered community. We hold that ethical living is life’s central concern. We understand that personal growth and social action are part of the ethical life, and that deeper ethical development comes through interacting with others in community.We welcome you to explore our community, and if you would like to become part of the community by joining as a member, you’ll find inside more information and an application.If you have questions about the Society, its principles and values, or about membership, feel free to contact our Clergy Leader or our Outreach Coordinator.

Exploring Membership

We look forward to getting to know you and personally welcoming you our society. We are an intentionally inclusive community that welcomes people of all races, religious backgrounds, ages, cultural origins, and sexual orientations. We are a freethinking, humanist community, focusing on human responsibility for human problems, using reason and compassion.

It is the women, men, youth, and children of who make this place alive and vibrant. Your involvement is invited, we would love to have the opportunity to welcome you to. We are a completely voluntary organization.The energy and resources of this community are what members, past and present, have contributed and continue to contribute.

We suggest that you spend some time with us before joining, visiting at a few Sunday platform meetings and staying around to talk with others. Take part in some activities: events, classes, social justice and fun activities.Come to the occasional welcome session that we hold after a Sunday platform meeting for informal questions and answers about the Society. Visit with one or more of our committees or action groups to see how the community is organized.

Why join?

Ethical Societies are microcosm in which we learn and practice the skills of bringing out the unique human worth of ourselves and others. You’ll become part of a diverse group of unique and like-hearted people, clarify your personal philosophy of life, support others and accept support during all the stages of life, and celebrate what it means to be alive. You’ll also help this community grow and extend into the future for others to find.

Benefits of membership

Members experience a culture that helps us to live and expand our ethical values. You’ll meet and socialize with a diverse group of unique like-hearted people, clarify your personal ideas, and support others and accept a diverse group of unique like-hearted people, clarify your personal ideas, and support others and accept support through life’s challenges and joys. You’ll also be part of the democratic decision-making of the Society, from electing board members, participating in committees, voting at member meetings, amending by-laws and the constitution. You’ll receive information about the Society’s activities and those of our national federation, the The American Ethical Union.

Who can join?

Membership is open to anyone who is at least 15 years of age and willing to become an active, contributing member of our community. The nature and extent of participation depends upon individual needs and interests.

How does the Society sustain itself?

We are a self-sustaining organization, supported by time, energy, creativity and financial pledges and contributions of our members, friends and by income-generating activities held in our building.We also contribute towards the American Ethical Union to promote the growth of Ethical Culture and to provide networking, skill-building, knowledge-sharing and other support for Societies such as ours.

Responsibilities of membership

– Members participate actively in the life of the Society. We hope that every member will attend platforms as their lives permit, and attend some of the other social and educational events that are part of Society life.

– Democratic decision-making: we hope that members participate as often as they are able in our semi-annual Member Meetings, and in occasional member forums for information and input. At Member Meetings we vote on Board members, our annual budget, major proposals, and any changes to our by-laws or constitution.

– Committees, board, task forces, specific volunteer tasks: while we have staff at BSEC for some functions, we cannot sustain our Society without volunteers. Start small, with something time-limited, and consider contributing your time and energy some years in helping the Society self-govern.

– A financial contribution, with an annual pledge to help us balance our budget.

– Members contribute to our culture of civility and cooperation and thus adopt and observe the BSEC Code of

Conduct (see below).

What does it cost to join?

All members make an annual financial within their means to support the Society’s costs including programming and outreach. Contributions are generally tax deductible.

Member pledges and other gifts support the programs, facilities, and staff of the Society. You choose the amount that you pledge. We ask that members consider a generous pledge within your means. For a thriving Society, Most would be giving within the range of 1% to 4% of net income. We do not exclude anyone from membership on the basis of pledge amount, but our suggested minimum pledge is $300 a year.

You can elect to contribute in one annual lump sum or to pay it in quarterly, monthly, or weekly installments. The Society will send you statements for tax purposes. If your circumstances change, you can notify the office of a decrease or increase in your pledge.

How do I join?

If you’ve visited on a few Sundays, and feel like you know the Society’s values, direction, and community well enough, then complete an application form online or give it to the Outreach Coordinator or to the Clergy Leader, or mail it to the Society’s Administrative Director.

Feel free to make an appointment to talk with our Clergy Leader if you have any questions about the Society, or attend one of our periodic Orientation or Living Ethical Culture workshops.

The Board of Trustees formally votes on each application at its monthly board meeting, after which you will receive a welcome letter from the Society. We’ll formally welcome you at the next Member Meeting, and informally at a Sunday platform meeting soon after you’ve joined. You’ll receive a member packet within a month after the board’s formal acceptance of your application.

Ethics for Children graduates are automatically accepted for membership, provided they complete a written application.

We’d love to have a photo and a brief description of you and your interests for sending to our current members, to introduce you to them. Send this to our Outreach Coordinator.

TO APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE CLICK HERE

BSEC Organization

The Brooklyn Society of Ethical Culture is governed by its members, through semi-annual Member Meetings.

The members elect a Board of Trustees to make decisions between Member Meetings, and to make proposals to Member Meetings. The officers of the board are: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Pledge Secretary.

Program Committees

Programs of the Society fall under three Committees:

Ethical Education

This committee is responsible for programs for children and youth, including our Ethics for Children Sunday programs, Coming of Age programming for older children, the Youth of Ethical Societies activities where we join with other Ethical Societies, and child care during major events.

Ethical Action

This committee organizes, plans, and oversees educational programs and actions to promote a more ethical, more humane world. Issues of special interest include racial justice, human rights, world peace, climate justice.

Ethical Living

This committee oversees and authorizes programs of adult learning and living, including fun and community-building activities.

Members of these committees may be members or non-members of the Society; the chair of each committee is a member of the Society.

Administrative Committees

These committees exist to help in the administration of key programs of the Society:

Membership Development

Provides support for outreach and welcoming to new people, engaging and connecting members and friends of the Society, and caring for members.

Sunday Committee

Plans and oversees Sunday platform meetings including colloquy programs, and also oversees other Sunday scheduling on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Building and Grounds Committee

Recommends to staff and the board major and minor improvements to and maintenance of our physical home and garden area.

Board Committees

Finance and Fund Development

Oversee our financial health and well-being.

Personnel Committee

Works with staff / Society relationships, evaluates staff performance.

We also have temporary committees (Leader Search, for instance) and Task Forces with limited scope of responsibility and a time limit to their existence.

BSEC Caring Communication Guidelines

Cultivating ethical relationships is at the core of Ethical Culture. The practices articulated below can bolster our efforts to live and act in harmony with our beliefs. They can help us enjoy caring and compassionate interactions with one another, individually and as a community.

Members and staff members of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture choose:

to ascribe good intentions to others regardless of their perspective;
to listen with respect and refrain from engaging in blaming language;
to speak for myself and from my own experience;
to hold to any meeting agreements that the group makes;
to use descriptive, not judgmental or inflammatory language;
to place principles before personalities; to criticize issues but not people;
to refrain from using the Internet or e-mail to address interpersonal or intergroup conflicts and instead to address concerns in face-to-face;
to handle differences collaboratively and, if necessary, to seek mediation and/or counseling; and
to respect confidentiality when it is requested and agreed upon.