As September settles in, attendance will begin to increase with our membership.  Lake homes and boats will begin to be closed for the winter.  Camping weekends are numbered except for the hardiest souls.  Most family summer vacations are history.  School is in session, and lives begin to get structured once again with high school football Fridays, college football Saturday and church school/adult education and worship on Sunday.  Members begin to make their way back for regular and consistent worship attendance.

So, what are the qualifications for church membership?  Members make a covenant to be Christ's disciples, following in the way of our Savior, growing in the Christian faith, celebrating Christs' presence and furthering Christ's mission in all the world.  Members also promise to  participate in the life and family of God's people, sharing regularly in the worship of God and enlisting in the work of this local church as it serves this community and the world (Book of Worship United Church of Christ).  That is what we promise when we are received as new members, but these are not the qualifications for becoming a member.

To become a member of the church there are three parts.  First is the instruction (New  Members' Class for adults or Confirmation Classes for youth).  There is a New Members' Class on September 19, at 6:30 P.M.  There is a Confirmation Class orientation on August 30, with confirmands, parents and mentors at 7:00 P.M.

The second part in becoming a member is expressing the desire to participate in the life and mission of this congregation.  Verbally, this is done near the end of the New Members' Class or near the end of the Confirmation Classes.  This is when participants say they desire to affirm their baptism.  Verbally and non-verbally, this is expressed at the baptism and affirmed once again in the reception as a member.  For those baptized as infants, this is when they affirm the promises made by their parent's as their own promises.

The third part is to be received publically in a worship service.  We are not secretive about what we believe and how we practice that belief.  Just as Jesus made his ministry public, so do we.

Those are the qualifications for membership.  It's not about a political party.  It's not about gender.  It's not about race.  It's not about the color of your hair or having no hair.  It's not about the color of your eyes and any special ability or disability.  It's about belief, faith and commitment through instruction, participation and public demonstration.

It's September, so let's fill the pews again.  Let's fulfill our promises we made when we became members in our participation of the church.

Your partner in ministry,

Bill

The Rev. Dr. William R. Nirote