Community, Membership, and Belonging
The congregation as a recurring practice
A congregation is not merely a mailing list, audience, or social-media following. For Iambist purposes, congregation means a recurring body of people who participate in worship, discussion, rites, service, learning, and fellowship with enough continuity to recognize one another as part of a common religious community.
Participation may occur online, in person, or through a combination of both, according to the Church’s actual practices and applicable institutional requirements. Technology can create genuine interaction, but the Church should resist confusing passive views with congregational life.
The ordinary path is Visitor, Participant, Member, Covenant Member, and—where appropriate—Reader, Minister, or Celebrant. The purpose of stages is formation and accountability, not social hierarchy.
Covenant Members affirm the Creed, accept the Twelve Tenets and Five Warnings, agree to the basic disciplinary expectations of the Church, and identify the Church of Iambe as a religious community to which they belong. They are not required to adopt a single metaphysical theory of Iambe.
Members may leave. Religious community should not depend upon threats, harassment, financial punishment, shunning of ordinary human relationships, or obstruction of a departing person’s property or records. Fellowship offered freely should also be capable of ending freely.