Membership%20Responsibility

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Membership Responsibility

• In the United Methodist Church

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What are we called to do?

• Luke 418-19
• The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,   because
  The Lord has anointed me to bring good news to
  the poor.
• The Lord has sent me to proclaim release to the
  captives   and recovery of sight to the blind,
  to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the
  year of the Lords favour.

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Church Membership

• 214 Eligibility
• The United Methodist Church is part of the
  Universal Church, as we confess in the Apostles
  Creed. In Jesus Christ proclaimed and professed
  as the Lord and Savior
• All people may attend worship services,
  participate in all programs, receive sacraments
  and become members in any local church in
  connection

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Church Membership

• 215 Definition of Membership
• 1. The Baptized Membership
• 2. The Professing Membership
• 3. Church Membership Number
• 4. A Baptized or Professing Members

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The Meaning of Membership

• 1 Corinthians 1213 27
• For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into
  one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and
  we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
• Now you are the body of Christ and individually
  members of it.

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The Meaning of Membership

• 216 Baptism is a sacrament of initiation and
  Incorporation into the body of Christ.
• (The Baptismal Covenant III UMH 45-49)
• 217 When persons unite as Professing Members,
• They covenant together with God and the members.
• 218 Growth in Faithful Discipleship
• Faithful Membership in the local church is
  essential for personal growth and deeper
  commitment to the will and grace of God.
• 219 Mutual Responsibility
• Participation in the Corporate life - being
  part of the Body.
• 220 The Call to Ministry of All the Baptized
• To be in ministry for the whole church of Jesus
  Christ.
• 221 Accountability
• All Members are to be held accountable for
  faithfulness to their covenant of baptism.

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What is my specific responsibility?

• Will you be loyal to The United Methodist Church,
  and uphold it by your prayers, your presence,
  your gifts, and your service?
• Your Prayers
• Your Presence
• Your Gifts
• Your Service

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Admission into the Church

• 222 Non-Local Church Setting
• Appointed Clergy serving Chaplain any other
  organization membership is held in UMC
• 223 General Church Membership Roll
• Professing Member, if they have no local church
  membership, they may have their membership at the
  General Board of Higher Education, and Ministry
  for recording on the General Membership Roll.
• 224 Outside of Congregational Settings
• Membership for someone who is unable to attend
  the ritual of the United Methodist Church
  special circumstances.
• 225 Transfer from Other Denominations
• A member in good standing who has been baptized
  and is a professing member can unite with the
  UMC.

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Admission into the Church

• 226 Care of Children and Youth
• 1. Jesus explicitly included the Children in his
  kingdom Child Baptism
• 2. Sacrament of Baptism and Baptized Member
  Certificate
• 3. Pastor the Membership secretary review
  membership records Nurturing the baptized in
  the life of discipleship
• 4. All members shall be committed to the
  Christian education for the child through its
  life.
• 5. Youth who are members of the Church have all
  rights and responsibilities of membership within
  the baptismal covenant.

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Affiliate Associate Membership

• 227 A Professing Member of the UMC of
  affiliated Methodist may on request be enrolled
  as an affiliate member of UMC located in the
  vicinity of the temporary residence the pastor
  will be notified of the affiliate membership.
• On moving out of the area, this can be
  terminated by the discretion of the UMC where
  membership is held.

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Care of Members

• 228.1 The Local church shall endeavor to
  enlist each member in activities for spiritual
  growth and in participation in the services and
  ministries of the Church and its organization.
• 228.2 Care of Members
• The pastor may arrange small membership groups
  for evangelism nurturing purposes.
• Primary responsibility and initiative rests on
  Professing members to fulfill the vows made at
  that baptismal covenant.
• If the member should be neglectful, these
  procedures shall be followed
• A Professing Member regularly absent from worship
  without a valid reason
• A member is requested to do 4 things
• a) reaffirm the baptismal vows
• b) request a transfer to another UMC
• c) arrange a transfer to another denomination
• d) request withdrawal

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Care of Members - cont.

• 228.2 If the member should be neglectful, these
  procedures shall be followed (cont)
• 2) A professing member address is outside the
  community and not participating in worship or
  activity of the church directives to encourage
  a transfer
• 3) If the members address is no longer known to
  pastor, and membership secretary efforts are
  made to locate, still unknown can be removed.
• 4)All the directives been followed for the
  specified of years without success then the
  member can be removed by vote at Charge
  Conference.
• 5) When a Professing Member is charged with an
  offense wishes to forego trial, the charge
  conference may remove.
• 6) Recognizing the Church has moral and spiritual
  obligation to maintain accurate membership
  records.
• 229 Transfer from Discontinued Local Churches
• If a local church is discontinued, the DS shall
  select another UMC and transfer its members or
  other churches as members select.

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Membership Records Reports

• 230 Membership Records
• Each Local church shall accurately maintain a
  membership record for each baptized or professing
  member.
• 231 Annual Membership and Audit
• The pastor shall report at the charge conference
  names received in membership or names removed
  since last charge conference
• The Church council shall appoint a committee to
  audit membership records.
• 232 Annual Report of Full and Preparatory
  Members Attending Colleges and Universities.
• The pastor shall report at charge conference the
  names attending colleges and universities.
• 233 Permanent Records
• The basic membership records in each local
  church shall consist of a permanent church
  register in a card index or notebook, or
  electronic information system.
• 234 Membership Secretary
• The charge conference shall name a membership
  secretary who, under the direction of the pastor,
  shall keep accurate records of membership and
  shall report at least annually to the church
  council.

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Changes in Church Membership or Local Church
Membership

• 235 Members whose names are removed from
  professing member status
• 236 Members Who Move
• 237 Lay Missionaries in non-United Methodist
  Churches
• 238 Members Residing at a Distance
• 239 Transfer to Other United Methodist Churches
• 240 Transfer to Other Dominations
• 241 Withdrawal Without Notice
• 242 Restoration of Professing Membership

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One Bread, One Body (UMH p. 620)

• One Bread, one body, One Lord of all,
• One cup of blessing which we bless.
• And we, though many through-out the earth,
• We are one body in this one Lord.
• Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man,
  no more.
• Refrain
• Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord
  of all.
• Refrain
• Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
  gathered
• to one, for all.
• Refrain