MEMBERSHIPS
Welcome! We’re delighted that you are interested in membership of the Iona Community.
We would love you to become a part of our dispersed and diverse movement; seeking justice and peace, a more sustainable way of living, and a progressive renewal of the Church and worship.
By becoming an Associate Member, Friend, or Member of the Iona Community you’re joining a global network of individuals dedicated to making a positive impact on the world in their own context.
Membership provides:
- Social justice: Be a catalyst for change in your local area, supported by a Family or Regional Group. Meet with like-minded individuals in one of our Common Concern Networks to learn, protest, and collaborate on projects that address issues such as poverty, environmental sustainability, and the rights of migrants and asylum seekers
- Belonging: Our community is a tapestry of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Experience the richness of different perspectives, broadening your horizons and fostering understanding.
- Renewal of worship: worship lies at the heart of our identity, and we commit to ongoing prayer for ourselves, our community, and the world. Our approach to worship is an ever-evolving journey of tradition, innovation, and deep connection.
There are three different types of membership of the Iona Community: Associate Member, Member, or Friend. Click on the links below to find out more.
Become an Associate Member
Open to everyone
Join a local Iona Community Group, called a Family Group
Become involved in the life of your Region
Join one or more of our Common Concern Networks
Join an Associates Group if there is one in your Region.
Join the Young Adults Group if you are aged 18 – 30
Attend events throughout the year
Come to Associates Week on Iona
Free one year Associate Membership for members of the Student Christian Movement!
Become a Friend
Friends of the Iona Community are those who want to maintain a connection with the life of the Community by donating financially and prayerfully.
Becoming a Friend of the Iona Community is a way to align yourself with a diverse and dynamic network of people working for justice and peace, inspired by their faith.
Your contribution as a Friend helps sustain the Iona Community’s initiatives and supports us to make positive change, seek justice, and create space for spiritual and communal transformation.
Becoming a Member
- being part of a global movement
- a demanding and fulfilling commitment that is renewed yearly
- accounting for keeping the Rule of Life – in local Family Groups, and as part of the wider community (for us, ‘accounting’ menas deep sharing and listening)
- usually we expect those considering becoming a Member to have been an Associate Member for around two years. This includes regular involvement in a Family Group and Region.
The New Members programme involves a two-year discernment process. You can find an outline of what’s involved in the Iona Community New Members Programme 2025 here
If you are an Associate Member considering becoming a Member, speak with the Members in your Family Group, and then contact the Leader, Ruth Harvey [email protected]
Membership fees
We believe in making our community accessible to all. Our membership fees have been structured to accommodate different financial situations, ensuring that anyone who wishes to join, can. If you have any queries about fees, please contact the membership team [email protected]
Associate Member: £70 per annum
Associate Couple: £100 per annum
Associate Concession: £30 per annum
Friend: £50 per annum
Friend Concession: £25 per annum
Concessionary fees are available to you if:
you are a student in full time education
your only income is from state benefits or a state pension
you are paid beneath the real living wage (£12.60/hour)
you are homeless, a refugee, or an asylum seeker
Why join?
Participation in community wide worship, discussions, workshops, and events
Access to a diverse network of people who share your passions and values
Opportunities to contribute your skills and talents to initiatives that align with your interests
Membership of a Family Group or Associates Group
Inclusion in our annual Prayer Book
A welcome pack with a hard copy of the Prayer Book
Regular issues of our Magazine, Coracle
Regular updates through our digital newsletter, e-Coracle
Join today!
Once you have joined, your Regional Co-ordinators will be in touch with you, as well as the Moderators of any Common Concern Networks you’ve joined.
We’ll send you a Welcome Pack in the post with everything you need to start your membership journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Member, an Associate Member, and a Friend?
Put simply, the difference is about the level of commitment to keeping the Rule of the Iona Community.
Whilst Members commit to keeping the Rule, Associate Members may keep the Rule to the extent that works for them. Friends, on the other hand, are not expected or obliged to consider the Rule.
There are also different levels of involvement depending on your membership type. For example, it is expected that Members will take part in a Family Group, whilst Associate Members may join a Family Group if they can commit to 80% attendance. Friends do not go to Family Group.
Likewise, only Members have voting power at the Iona Community AGM, and there are specific events for Members or for Associate Members. Only Members and Associate Members can join our Common Concern Networks.
The final difference is that Members and Associate Members are listed in our yearly Prayer Book, whilst Friends are not.
So are Members more committed than Associate Members?
Yes and no! Members are held accountable for their keeping of the Rule. This means that they meet once a year in their Family Group to ‘account’ with one another how they kept the Rule in the last year.
In this sense, Members are more involved. However, there are many Associate Members who are very involved in the life of the Iona Community, including leading groups, being a trustee, Regional Co-ordinator, or CCN Moderator. On the other hand, there are some Associate Members who aren’t as involved or who are more seasonally involved. So Associate Members exist on a spectrum of commitment and involvement depending on their interests and personal circumstances.
What do I need to do to become an Associate Member?
If you are in agreement with the ethos of the Iona Community, you are invited to join as an Associate Member!
Once you sign up you can get involved at a local, regional, or worldwide level with the work of the Iona Community. Including joining local groups, getting involved with our Common Concern Networks, and coming to events such as Associates Week on Iona.
What do I need to do to become a Friend?
If you are in agreement with the ethos of the Iona Community, and want to support our work financially, then you are invited to become a Friend!
What is the Young Adults Group?
The Young Adults Group (YAG) is group of Associate Members who are aged 18 – 30. They meet online regularly for worship and discussions and also hold on-site events.
If you are in this age range, you will be asked if you want to join YAG when you sign up as an Associate Member.
How can an Associate Member become a Member?
To become a Member an Associate Member takes part in a two-year programme called the New Members Programme. Associate Members discuss a calling to Membership within their Family Group and then approach the Leader to discuss joining the New Members Programme, which runs yearly from September. Usually those who join the New Members Programme will have been an Associate Member for at least two years, though there are exceptions to this.
The New Members Programme is a process of discernment, and at the end of the programme those who wish to are formally invited to become a Member. For some, taking part in the programme helps them to realise that remaining an Associate Member is the better path for them.
Can a Member become an Associate Member?
Yes! Each year every Member accounts for their keeping of the Rule. At the end of this process Members either recommit to the Rule, and so continue being a Member, or they decide to become an Associate Member. Sometimes this change from Member to Associate Member is permanent, and sometimes it is for a year or so. Often this is affected by personal or family circumstances.
Can I stop being an Associate Member, Member, or Friend?
Of course. If you ever wish to cancel your membership you can email us at [email protected].
What if I want to become an Associate Member or Friend, but I can’t afford it?
We never want finances to come in the way of joining the Iona Community. If you can’t afford the concessionary fee, email us at [email protected] and we can chat about what might work for you.
What if I’m already an Associate Member or Friend but can no longer afford the fee?
Simply email us at [email protected] and we can chat about might work for you.
What happens in a Family Group?
Family Groups differ based on their location, who leads them, and what the members of the Family Group agree to do together. They are the grass roots of our community. Some may share food together, others will have a discussion or Bible study, some may use their time together for personal reflection.
Family Groups meet either on-site or online according to a schedule. Usually if they meet on-site it is in someone’s home. Some Family Groups meet once a month, others may meet less frequently.
What Family Groups have in common is that they pray the Iona Community Office together, they care for one another, and they account together for their keeping of the Rule.
How can an Associate Member join a Family Group?
If you are an Associate Member who would like to join a Family Group, email [email protected]. We will speak with your Regional Co-ordinator who can suggest which Family Group might suit you best. We will then speak with the Family Groups and put you in touch with the relevant Family Group Convenor who will chat with you about their group. You might then arrange to visit and see if that group is a good fit for you. Please note that Associate Members are asked to commit to 80% attendance if they join a Family Group.
What Family Groups have in common is that they pray the Iona Community Office together, they care for one another, and they account together for their keeping of the Rule.
I have a question that isn’t answered here, who can I ask?
For any other questions, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to get back to you.
Can I speak to someone about membership before I join as an Associate Member or Friend?
Of course, we’re always happy to talk online or on the phone about membership. Email [email protected] and we’ll get back to you to arrange a chat.
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