BECOME A MEMBER

church membership

The congregation distinguishes between baptized members, communicant members and voting members:

A baptized member has received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and is:

  1. a baptized child of a communicant member or communicant members of the congregation;

  2. a child who has been baptized by the Pastor of this congregation.

A communicant member is a member who:

  1. has received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and has been confirmed;

  2. accepts the Bible as the verbally inspired revelation of God and the only divine rule and standard of faith and life;

  3. is familiar with the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, at least to the extent that it has been set forth in Luther's Small Catechism, and declares acceptance thereof;

  4. attends divine services faithfully and partakes of the Lord's Supper frequently;

  5. leads a Christian life (Matthew 5:5-7; Galatians 5:22-23) and abstains from manifest works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).

  6. contributes, as the Lord has prospered him/her/her/her (1 Corinthians 16:2), toward the maintenance of the congregation, its due functions, and the extension of the Church at large;

  7. submits, for the sake of love and peace, to the regulations already made, or still to be made, by this congregation, provided they do not conflict with the Word of God;

  8. accepts brotherly admonition when he/she has erred or when he/she has become delinquent in the requirements of membership, or otherwise has given offense (Matthew 18:15-17);

  9. is not a member of a lodge or oath-bound secret society conflicting with the Word of God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

A voting member is a communicant member eighteen (18) years of age or older who has accepted the responsibility of participating in the activities of the Voters Assembly. All communicant members may attend the meetings of the Voters Assembly and express opinions.