Joining First Church
Each Sunday, First Church welcomes many visitors and friends to morning worship and to our Jazz 5:30 service. The vision of our congregation, A Way of Hospitality, calls us to offer a heartfelt welcome to every new person and to invite newcomers to join us “for an hour or a lifetime” on the journey of life and the journey of faith.
For some, this invitation will lead to a deeper relationship with this community, one that involves sharing in our covenant with God and with each other and becoming formal members of our church.
Joining any community of faith is an important choice requiring experience, discernment, and decision.
Experience
Normally, people decide to join the church after a substantial period of participating in its worship and fellowship, as well as in its life of learning and service to the world. Getting to know one another is critical! And getting involved is a great way to get to know us, and for us to get to know you! You’ll find lots of suggestions for getting involved below, and elsewhere on this website.
Discernment
It is also recommended that newcomers who want to learn more about our community take part in the group sessions for "inquirers" that are held throughout the year. It’s a great way to meet other people, talk about what you are learning about our church, ask questions, and pray about your decision. And, of course, we welcome everyone who is thinking about joining the church to spend some private time in conversation with the pastors or lay leaders of the church in order to pray about and explore this desire.
Decision
When you are ready to join, you need only to make your decision known to the pastors or to a member of the Board of Deacons. You’ll be given some materials about the covenanting service itself and the promises we make when we join the church so that you’ll know what to expect on the day you join. Joining usually takes place during Sunday morning worship, although if you have been participating in the evening Jazz service, you are welcome to covenant with us at that service, if you prefer.
What are some of the commitments expected of Members?
When we join this congregation, we promise God and each other
- To worship together regularly on Sundays, as often as we are able, and to participate in the on-going life of prayer and praise of the church in its many forms;
- To be faithful stewards of the church’s resources;
- To prayerfully discern the ways in which we may be called to give our time, talents, and money for the support and strengthening of our community—including financial pledging and, in some cases, accepting calls to positions of leadership within the congregation.
- To participate in the small group life of the church, including opportunities for learning, fellowship, and service;
- To take an active and informed part in the church’s discernment regarding its future and all other major decisions;
- To enjoy the fellowship of the community and to extend pastoral care and affection to those who are in need; and
- To pray earnestly for the church—for all its members and ministries, for its leaders and benefactors, and for the world we are called to serve.
Christian Formation Opportunities
We strongly encourage new members to participate in First Church’s Christian Formation program during the 10 o’clock hours before morning worship throughout the church year. This program is an opportunity for study and small group work in the following areas: Christian Practices, Our Living History and Tradition, Scripture and Other Sacred Texts and the Church in the World. New and prospective members with little or no church background are especially encouraged to attend the Christianity 101 sessions in the Fall.