Membership Sunday @ Calvin CRC

This past Sunday I found myself back at Calvin CRC. I'm still on my EPDL, but several people were going to become "official" members of Calvin, and since I've had interactions with many of them, I wanted to be there. I always enjoy it when people enter into full membership at our church. This process is different for everyone. It always starts with someone walking through the doors of our church and members welcoming new folks. We then let them alone for a little while, just to see if they are church shopping, or more serious about building a relationship with this faith community. After some time we will enter into some dialogue about becoming a formal member of Calvin CRC. We don't just want to have people's membership's transferred from other places and then have them stand up in church for 2 seconds during a service to welcome them some six months later (this used to be done in my church when I was growing up). We want individuals to feel that they are joining a faith community that cares for them, needs them, will offer them support, and in turn, they will give support to the community. For some, it has meant a simple coffee with myself, Pastor Ken, and/or an elder because they are transferring from another CRC church. During that time we/I share our stories together about life and church life. We talk about Calvin and its many ministries and ways he/she can get involved. For others it may be a bit of a longer process. There may be more time spent talking about the theological elements of Calvin. Why we believe what we do, and the way worship goes, etc. The end result is that when a person is ready to become a member, we have come to the conclusion that this is a good thing for everyone involved. This past Sunday we saw several people join our Calvin fellowship. The service was great on many levels. First, because of how we do membership here. We call those able and willing to come forward and face the congregation. We go through a litany with them which ends up becoming a re-affirmation of faith for those who have already done some sort of profession of faith in another church, or a profession of faith if they haven't yet. I love the interactive nature of the litany. Second, because after this we usually try to get one person to give a testimony of their life and why they have ended up in Calvin's fellowship. In the 7 years I've been at Calvin, I've been blessed exponentially by these testimonies. Two individuals did theirs on this Sunday. One came from someone who has been attending Calvin for quite some time, the other, fairly recently. As I heard the stories, one thing struck me in both testimonies. These people came to Calvin because an existing member of Calvin had invited them. Once in the fellowship, they decided to stay. Something to take note of for all of us. Third, I like the way we continually try to incorporate our children in the service. We had a baptism that morning too, and the children are asked to come to the front to witness it. This day they were also asked to help out with a fundraising drive for First Place Pregnancy. Using two wagons, they walked up and down the aisles getting baby bottles filled with change. We could have simply had those bottles placed in a box in the fellowship hall. Instead, we made this a community event, with our children in the thick of it. It was great to see, and gets at some of the stuff I've been talking about with family/intergenerational ministry over the past while. Finally, after the baptism was done, we entered into a corporate reaffirmation of our commitment to God and to each other as a faith community. Reading these words always reminds me of why I am part of this faith community, and that there is some responsibility/expectation in being part of it. Below are the words that we said out loud:

Membership Covenant for Calvin CRC

Having received Christ as my Lord and Saviour, and also publically professed my faith in Him, I commit myself to the Lord and to His family at Calvin CRC - I commit to glorifying God by:

• Acting in love toward other members
• Building up the body of Christ through my speech and actions
• Prayerfully supporting the leaders of the church as they guide us in following Christ
• Bringing the life-changing message of Christ to our neighbours and each other

I commit to sharing in:

• Faithful participation in Calvin's worship services
• Regular participation in the sacraments
• Receiving the preaching of the Word as God's Word to my life
• Welcoming and enfolding new participants in the life of Calvin Church
• Growing in Prayer and Scripture reading and Christ-honouring conduct in my daily life.

I commit to serving in Calvin's Ministries by:

• Discovering my spiritual gifts and talents, and using them for ministries in Calvin and beyond as God give opportunity
• Continuing to grow in the knowledge and practice of our Reformed heritage
• Giving regularly of my time and financial resources, as God has blessed me.

I commit every area of my life to Christ:

• Knowing that all of creation is under His rule
• Desiring to serve Him everywhere without fitting in, as light in the darkness and salt in the spoiling world.

Praise be to God.

I find that if we all take these words seriously, we will be a much healthier community of faith. I know it's easier for some than for others, but periodically reading this in church helps us to remember once again what we are about. That can only be a good thing.

So, it was good to be in church this Sunday. It was good to welcome new members into our fellowship. It is my prayer that they will find a place to receive, as well as to give to this community of faith. Both are important. It is also my prayer that we who have re-read our covenant will examine how we are doing in this faith community. I know that we are not a perfect faith community, but I also know that we have many wonderful people here at Calvin. Some are more active than others, and the challenge is to see the value in engaging in this community of faith because we are richer when all of us do. It's so true that in order to get something out of this faith community, you also need to put something into it. For those that maybe feel a bit disconnected, may be slowly drifting out the back door, please don't go without telling us why. Only then can we grow together as we seek to find ways to correct those issues.

Blessings to all of us in Calvin, and I trust that if you are reading this as a non member of Calvin, that your church is striving to be an active, vibrant, fellowship of faith and nurture in Christ. If not, hey, why not consider giving Calvin a try. As this Sunday shows, others have come and liked it. : )