How do I join?
by The Rev. Grace Burton-Edwards, Associate Rector and School Chaplain
From The Outlook, March 2008
Several times during my first few months here at Trinity, I have been asked by people new to the church, "How do I join? What do I need to do?"
This is a good question. Many people who join Episcopal congregations come from different denominational backgrounds. They may have been part of congregations where the membership process was very public?perhaps involving a walk down an aisle during Sunday worship or a formal introduction to the congregation in a public setting. Others come with very little church experience, and they wonder how to enter the life of the community.
At Trinity Church all persons are invited to participate fully in the life of the congregation. You do not have to be a formal member to join the choir, participate in Sunday School, attend a class or fellowship event, receive communion, request pastoral care for yourself or others, serve at Sunday dinners or invite others to church. The only activities reserved for formal members are membership on the vestry (the governing body of the congregation), serving as delegates to our diocesan convention, voting at our annual parish meeting held each January and entering the ordination process!
At some point in the journey, many people do choose to establish a formal connection with the congregation. This path is through enrollment of baptism. The sacrament of baptism makes us Christian, not part of a particular denomination or group, but part of Christ's universal church. In baptism, we turn away from sin and toward the love of God. With God's help, we commit ourselves to community, repentance, proclamation, love and justice. If you have not been baptized, the first step in joining Trinity is to prepare for baptism by enrolling in Journey in Faith or in other opportunities for baptism preparation.
If you have been baptized and wish to connect with Trinity, we simply ask you to sign a form indicating where you were originally baptized and declaring your desire to register your baptism with this congregation. This process is sometimes called "transfer of letter" and is a standard practice in many mainline Protestant congregations. Baptized members who are enrolled at Trinity are encouraged live out their baptismal vows by participating in worship, engaging in opportunities for growth and service, and making a financial pledge to support the collective ministry of the congregation.
In addition to enrollment of baptism, many people who come into the life of Trinity Church choose to receive the rites of confirmation, reception or renewal of baptismal vows. Confirmation is a rite offered by the bishop in which persons age sixteen or older who were baptized at an earlier age make a public affirmation of their baptismal vows. Reception is offered for those who were baptized and confirmed at an earlier time in a denomination other than the Episcopal Church. While baptism makes us Christians, confirmation and reception make us Episcopalians and signal our intent as mature Christians to grow and serve in this communion of Christ's church. Renewal of baptismal vows is offered for those with prior experience in Episcopal settings who are renewing their faith and commitment.
Our bishop offers confirmation, reception, and renewal through deanery confirmation services at which several congregations come together in a celebration of shared ministry. A deanery is a geographical grouping of Episcopal congregations. We are part of the Mid-Central Deanery of our diocese, and our deanery confirmation service will be held on Saturday, May 3 at 3 pm at All Saints Church (1559 Central Avenue). We hope that many people from Trinity Church will be present to witness and rejoice as persons from this congregation and others receive confirmation, reception or renewal.
In the past, it has been our custom at Trinity Church to enroll baptisms in a public way on the first Sunday of Advent as part of our Journey in Faith process. We recognize, however, that people come into the life of Trinity at different times during the year, so beginning with the service of baptism at our Easter Vigil on the Saturday evening before Easter (March 22), we will invite people to sign a book for enrollment of baptisms at every service of baptism. If you would like to enroll your baptism with Trinity Church at the Easter Vigil, please call the church office or speak with a member of the clergy.
The process of joining Trinity sounds complicated because people who come from different backgrounds may follow different paths. The more important question for us, though, is not one of joining but belonging. We want people to belong before they join, and we help people do that by introducing ourselves, forming connections, inviting people to take part in the rich ministries Trinity has to offer. If you are new to Trinity, feel free to contact any of our clergy to talk about opportunities for connecting, or join us for our next welcome luncheon on March 13 following the 10:15 service. If you have been at Trinity a long time, seek out some of our newcomers and welcome them to life in this community. We want to be a place where all can belong.
