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Membership Types
Types of Membership
We encourage individuals, churches, schools and other organizations to join the United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd so that we can continue to build the network of those who support this work of Christian spiritual formation for children. We offer two types of membership: Individual Membership and Organization Membership. The Unified Membership is offered to individual catechists who wish to access CGSUSA organization resources with a single login to the website.
Individual Membership
An Individual Member is any/all individual persons (catechist, formation leader, aide, director/coordinator, clergy/religious, passionate parent/grandparent)
Visionary Member
Supporting Member
Companion Member
Contributing Member
Visionary Member
Ensures the vision and work of CGSUSA can be shared with others who are committed to this method of spiritual formation of the child. If you have the heart for and capacity to give more, we ask your prayerful consideration of membership at this level.
Supporting Member
Strengthens the network that connects catechists to one another and supports the continued development of catechist resources. Gifts at this level support the full cost of membership.
Companion Member
Allows the adult to accompany the child in their relationship with God. The companion level allows those who seek to offer additional support to the mission of CGSUSA, beyond the entry-level of membership.
Contributing Member
Connects catechists and others, who appreciate the gift that CGS offers the child, to those throughout the country who also wish to nurture the child’s relationship with God. Anyone serving the child through this work is encouraged to join CGSUSA at this entry-level.
Organization Membership
Organization Members are any entity (church/parish, school, regional group, diocese, etc.) that either offers CGS and/or supports those who serve the children as catechists, aides, or formation leaders) Share the CGSUSA Organization Membership Flyer with your church or school community.
Benefactor
Collaborator
Partner
Sponsor
Benefactor
Works with CGSUSA to offer formation, ongoing education, and to deepen others’ understanding of the spiritual life of the child. Benefactor members are signs to the Church and beyond that, the religious values of childhood, especially contemplation and joy, are worth cultivating.
Collaborator
Answers the call to accompany the workers in the vineyard – the catechists, formation leaders, and others who serve in CGS – by helping to reduce the financial burden on individual catechists.
Partner
Lives and serves the catechesis we receive, its vision of the child, its materials, its environment, and its sources. Collaborator members proclaim the gift of CGS to the community.
Sponsor
Supports the full cost of membership and affirms in a visible way, to families and communities, that the spiritual life of the child is important. Any churches, schools, or regional groups are encouraged to join at this entry level.
Notice regarding clarification to Organization Membership
The Organization Membership is an avenue for churches, schools and regions to show their support of CGSUSA and to provide additional resources for these organizations and communities. These resources are accessed by a primary contact. This primary contact is the one individual person who can access and download the organization resources that may be shared with the other catechists and faith leaders for the benefit of the community in which the organization serves. It is important to clarify that an Organization Membership is not a “group” membership in which multiple catechists would be able to access the Materials Manuals. Because the online Materials Manual is a resource for formed catechists – individuals who have participated in a CGSUSA catechist formation course — and is an extension of their album page, this feature is simply for Individual Membership in which formation is verified for each individual catechist.
Unified Membership
The Unified Member is designed to allow an individual to access their individual membership and their organization membership through the convenience of a single login. This has been tailored for those formed catechists who serve as the contact person their organization account; however, any member who wishes to combine individual member access with access to the organization resources in one account is invited to consider the unified membership!
Unified Benefactor
Unified Collaborator
Unified Partner
Unified Sponsor
Unified Benefactor
Fosters formation and a deeper understanding of the spiritual life of the child. As a Unified Benefactor member, you become a vital sign of the Church’s commitment to cultivating the profound religious values of childhood, enjoyment of God and contemplation, for the benefit of both individuals and the wider community.
Unified Collaborator
Recognizing the Spirit’s work within each catechist and of all those who serve in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, striving to assist them so they may be fully prepared to serve the children and the Lord in His vineyard.
Unified Partner
Serving the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd by living its mission and upholding its vision of the child, materials, environment, and sources. As partners, they also proclaim the gift of CGS to the broader community.
Unified Sponsor
This membership supports the catechist as spiritual guide, observer, and co-listener alongside the child, which allows the catechist to create a sacred environment that facilitates the child’s religious life. A visible affirmation to the church, school, diocese, and/or regional group’s belief in and the value of a child’s spiritual life to families and communities.