I am a member of _______!

We are in a new church year and it is 2012! Happy New Year in both senses. As we begin a new year I want to have us look at our identity. Who are we? All of us go by many titles and have various responsibilities. Parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, Mr., Mrs., Ms., student, employee, friend, and so on. Each has it's own particular identity responsibilities. To begin this new year, let's look at what it means to be a member of a congregation.

Each church's constitution and bylaws spell out what it technically means to be a member of a congregation.

Who are the members?
C8.02 Members shall be classified as follows:

1. Baptized members are those persons who have been received by the Sacrament of Holy Baptism in this congregation, or, having been previously baptized in the name of the Triune God, have been received by certificate of transfer from other Lutheran congregations or by affirmation of faith.
2. Confirmed members are baptized persons who have been confirmed in this congregation, those who have been received by adult baptism or by transfer as confirmed members from other Lutheran congregations, or baptized persons received by affirmation of faith.
3. Voting members are confirmed members. Such confirmed members, during the current or preceding calendar year, shall have communed in this congregation and shall have made a contribution of record to this congregation.

What is the responsibility of the members?
C8.04 It shall be the privilege and duty of members of this congregation to:

1. make regular use of the means of grace, both Word and sacraments;
2. live a Christian life in accordance with the Word of God and the teachings of the Lutheran church; and
3. support the work of this congregation, the synod, and the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through contributions of their time, abilities, and financial support as biblical stewards.

Notice the bold words from C8.02? Baptized means being adopted into the family of God as a child of God. Notice the word "family"

Next - confirmed means you know what the Lutherans believe for their faith statements. We use the three creeds: Athanasian, Nicene, and Apostles to state what we believe. We have two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe in the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are saved by grace through Jesus Christ and not by works.

Voting means you have a say in the workings of the church. You also have the responsibility to know what is going on and to be informed. Voting, whether it is in the church or the political arena means we MUST be informed before we can decide.

How about the "responsibility" of a member? Notice the italicized words: make, live and support. Now we are getting into the nuts and bolts of being a member of a congregation. Make: one way to make use of Word and sacraments is to be in church regularly and take part in the Word and sacrament offered each Sunday and other days also. We cannot make excuses for our absence. You are missed when you are not there in your pew and taking part in the service. Parents, do your children really have to do that sport during church on Sunday? What would happen if parents united and said "No" sports during church? Or going to church is a family value that won't be negotiated. Imagine that!

Live: You are a shining star of the Lutheran church where you belong and for all the Lutheran churches that exist. You show your faith and love of God by the things you do and the way you act. Don't hide your light under a bushel - let it shine! Begin each day remembering your baptism and what it means for Christ to die for you and rise again.

Support: This is where we hear how the same people do all the work all the time. "There are no new volunteers to take over what we have been doing for years!" Yes, we do need to support our congregation through our time, abilities and financial support. Could you offer to do one thing in the church you have never done? Can you carve one hour out of your week to volunteer at your church? How about giving up that fast food lunch and donating that money to the church wide mission or add it to your weekly offering at church? Those fast food meals are up to 6 and 7 dollars! Adding that to your weekly offering could make a difference of $364 per year!

I just had a discussion with my daughter about how families help each other get through what ever is going on in their lives. It is true with the church. We are a family in Christ - one family. We are to do and give all we can to the betterment of each other and those less fortunate than us. There are many people outside the doors of our congregations that need our help. Are you willing to invite those into the church that are different from you? That may not be as fortunate as you? Are you willing to go the extra mile to get those people into our doors? You are! This church is made up of wonderful, caring, and hard working members.

As a "member" of a congregation it is your duty as a member of the family of God to help and to encourage and to promote the good things about your church and the love of God to all that cross your path. As a member of the family, you have a duty to share in the responsibilities of running that church. As a member of that family, it is your duty to love and care for one another through the good times and the bad. Love one another as God loves you. Boy, if we could do that even 50% as well as God does, what a wonderful world it would be.

I'm asking you to do and give more of yourself and your time, talents, and resources. You are doing a great job now and I truly believe there is more in you to give and do. Just strive for one more hour a week and maybe donating one fast food meal a week. You will be surprised how much you can do and how much you can offer. God will support you and help you in your endeavor.

Even with me trying to get you to go the extra mile; I want to thank each of you for what you do and who you are. P.L.U.M. is full of wonderful Christians that try hard and care a lot about each other. Keep it up and rethink your "membership" duties and responsibilities to see if there is more you can offer. We thank God for you and all you give.

Vicar Melba