Looking to Join a Church

Are you looking for a church to call your own? We’d love to have you join us, and we can say that with full sincerity even if we haven’t met, because no matter who you are, we start from the knowledge that Jesus died for you just as he died for us. If God himself cares so much for you, how could we do otherwise?

¶Visitors are always welcome

You don’t need to join the church to visit and you can visit as often as you like. You can expect to see people chatting before and after the service. You’ll be greeted with smiles and handshakes and some people might introduce themselves and ask your name.

During the service, our focus is on God’s Word and we won’t call you out. You can simply observe if you like, or join us in our worship in keeping with your conscience.

There is one thing in our regular worship that is for members only, and that is the Sacrament of Holy Communion. In this Holy Supper, we receive Jesus’ body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and express our unity with him and with one another. For this reason, we require that those who join us for this sacrament be instructed and publicly confess the faith we share.

¶What does it mean to be a member?

Membership consists of

Confessing the Christian faith (Our relationship with God)
Being in unity with Christian brothers and sisters (Our relationship with one another)

The members of our church don’t agree on everything in life. They cheer for different sports teams. They work different kinds of jobs. They have different opinions about politics. But they do agree on the Word of God. Even with those things which are difficult for them (and our society does oftentimes make being a Christian hard!), they are willing to say, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4, KJV). We study those issues together. God has spoken; it is not up to us to add or subtract. As Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17, EHV).

Because of this, God produces a great and close relationship between us. We learn to see each other as a family, true brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray for each other, share in each other’s joys and burdens, and serve each other as we are able.

¶Membership comes with great blessings

Membership is both a privilege and a responsibility.

Members are expected to:

Attend worship regularly. God strengthens our faith through the regular hearing of his Word and reception of the Lord’s Supper. And if God’s desire for us is to love one another, it’s difficult to do that if we are never around. For those who are unable to attend worship for an extended time, our pastor and members are happy to visit them.
Be diligent in Bible study. Besides worship, there are a variety of other opportunities offered by the church to learn to know God’s Word better. We encourage you to read and study the Bible on your own, but we also want you to make time for studying together with us. Sunday Bible Classes are offered nearly every week, and other classes are offered at various times throughout the year.
(For parents) Raise their children in the faith. Bring them to church! God wants you to! Jesus loves the little children (and so do we)! We offer Sunday School for children, and Lutheran worship is something little children can quickly learn to follow.
Give their best gifts in support of the Gospel. We do give money as offerings to support the work of the church. That keeps the lights on here and supports our pastor as well as missionaries around the world. This is to be given cheerfully and from the heart, not reluctantly or under pressure (2 Corinthians 9:7). How much you give is up to you and your budget, but we can give more detailed advice if you’d like. That said, there are other ways besides money that also support our church and mission. We contribute our time and talents and energies in a wide variety of ways to help each other and serve the people around us.
Participate in the business of the church. We have various service groups that take care of our members and our property. We have quarterly voters’ meetings. We have a church council that meets every month. Whether or not you have the qualifications of a leader, there are many places to participate for the good of the congregation.
Pray for their pastor and other leaders. They need your support and prayers. May God preserve them and keep them faithful!

Members can expect:

To be taught the Word of God in truth and purity, and to receive the Sacraments. These are God’s gifts of grace for his people, and where they are found, he himself is present.
To frequently receive absolution for their sins. God delivers his abundant forgiveness to us in an abundance of ways. The Christian takes great comfort in this, and never tires of hearing “Your sins are forgiven.”
To have the full spiritual care of their pastor. A pastor is both a trained professional—like a doctor—and someone who exists in a relationship—a spiritual father. He’s someone called and sent by God to represent him to us. A pastor can’t be everywhere at once, but members can expect to be able to call on their pastor, be taught and counseled by him, and be included in his prayers.
**To be helped when in need.**Members who are sick or hospitalized can request a visit from the pastor or others. Those who are in need in other ways may speak with the pastor as well, and we do our best to help with any needs physical or spiritual as is appropriate and as we are able.
To have their voices heard in the decision-making processes of the church. As a congregation, we work together. Our congregational leaders do their best to take into account the needs and opinions of all our members.
To be loved like family, because in Christ that’s what they are.
To receive a Christian Funeral. Jesus lives, and so we too shall live. A funeral is a time for reflecting on the seriousness of sin, the surety of God’s promises, and the urgency of his command to “Keep watch.” Our pastor stands as a witness to the faith in which we died.

¶How Do I Become a Member?

The first step is to talk to our pastor. Although all our members care for one another, our pastor has been called by God through our congregation to care for people’s spiritual needs. He will be happy to talk to you briefly around church services, or in greater length during the week.

You can also start making church a regular part of your life before becoming a member. Nonmembers are welcome to visit as often as they like and they’re welcome to be a part of many of our church activities. By doing this, you will get to know our teachings, our worship, and our members.

We regularly offer a free Bible Information Class which covers all the basics of Biblical Christianity. This course covers a wide variety of topics, including Creation, Baptism, the Ten Commandments, Judgment Day, and Justification by Grace through Faith. This is the best way to learn about our church and is normally a requirement for those who wish to become members. Upon completing the class, students have the opportunity to speak with the pastor, have any further questions answered, and decide if they wish at this time to join as a member. Some decide to wait. Others are eager to join. All benefit from the class, and we pray that God will continue to increase their faith and knowledge of him.

If you are interested in joining one of these classes, please speak to our pastor.