Rector's Welcome

How to Become a Member of the Church

Recently someone asked, "How may I become a member of the Church of the Resurrection?" This is the kind of question we want people to be asking, and wouldn't it be great if everybody knew the answer?

A little reflection convinced me that an entire Herald article would be justified by this deceptively simple question.

How do you become a member of the Church of the Resurrection? If you are not baptized, you must be baptized with water by a Christian in the name of the Holy Trinity, as Jesus said in Matthew 28:19. If you are coming to Resurrection from another Christian church, then you may already be baptized. If not, let me know. I love to do baptisms! If you are transferring from another Episcopal parish, you can ask the church you came from to send us a "letter of transfer", which we will then record in our books, and you will be an official member of the parish. If you are baptized but not confirmed (or received) into the Episcopal Church, talk to me and please plan to attend the next inquirers class, which will begin in September. Everyone over a certain age is asked to go through instruction and become a confirmed member of the Church. When you are confirmed, you assume the responsibilities and privileges of a mature member of the Body of Christ, you renew your baptismal promises, and you have the bishop lay hands on you and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you grace and power for your life as a Christian. To be what the canons (church laws) call "a confirmed member in good standing", you must attend church regularly, be confirmed, and give of your time, talent, and treasure to the parish.

This may sound like a lot of complicated red tape. I can see that point. But the essential matter is that you believe in Christ, take up your cross, and follow him. None of us does that alone. We are all part of the community of faithful believers. I invite you to see matters of church membership as having to do with keeping order among the followers of Christ. We hear of the evils of organized religion all the time; but I believe many of the evils we see in the Church are due more to disorganized religion (and rudderless living!) than to organized religion! We do try to do things decently and in order as a matter of obedience to God and respect for the common life of the Body of Christ.

These are the sorts of things we don't normally talk about in sermons or classes or light conversation, but they are part of our responsibilities as Christians. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask me or experienced members of the parish. Christ has done so much for us; let us accept his invitation to follow where he leads, and commit ourselves to worship the Father and serve the Church to the best of our abilities.

Father Joe