Become a Member

A Spiritual Reason

Spiritual growth is something that takes work. It takes time. It takes commitment. It takes accountability. In other words, spiritual growth takes community. By making the choice to join Hillside you are making the choice to join a community that will support and encourage you, helping you to live out God’s deepest callings for your life. You, in turn, will have the chance to do the same for others. That dynamic, loving mutuality is what the Jesus way is all about.

A Practical Reason

Hillside has a democratic form of governance. Our members are the ones who set the tone, tenor, and direction of our church’s ministry. As such, Hillside depends on an active and engaged membership to help shape its future. By becoming a member you’re able to participate fully in our communal visioning and decision-making. We’d love to have you as a partner in this process!

1. Have an honest desire to know and love God in the way of Jesus.
2. Request to join the church.
3. Be baptized if you’re not already.
4. Participate in a membership ceremony during worship. You can find the ceremony script here.
5. Attend worship regularly and support the church according to your ability.

Hillside Community Church is a Protestant church in the Congregational tradition. We’re a member of the United Church of Christ, the most progressive Christian denomination in the U.S. and the largest denomination in New England.

In our denomination, each church has full freedom of belief and action. We have no bishops, cardinals, or popes that govern what we say or do. Our accountability is first to God and then to each other, as those committed to knowing and loving God in the way of Jesus.

What’s more, we are a non-creedal church. What that means is that we don’t have a list of beliefs that you have to sign on to in order to become a member. We wholeheartedly invite your questions, your doubts, and your active participation in the rich conversation of Christian theology.

While the best way to find out about us is to join us for worship on Sundays, you can find a quick rundown about who we are and what we stand for on our Mission & Beliefs page.

It’s also important to know that we are an explicitly open and inclusive church. What that means is that we welcome and lovingly affirm people of every age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. You can read more about our stance here.

While somewhat dry, you can learn about our governance structure by perusing our bylaws.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to Rev. Tom at pastor@hillsidemedford.org