Membership at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church
There is a difference between a want and a need.
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Woods Chapel United Methodist Church
In this section . . .
One Pastor's Thoughts . . .
Church membership is cherished by some, neglected by others and misunderstood by many.
I want everyone to know that they are under no pressure to join Woods Chapel Church. You are totally free to attend here for as long as you like and remain a non-member. Like marriage, you want to do your homework and make sure that when you tie the knot, it is for the long haul.
Once someone chooses to join, we want them to take their membership vows seriously. Those who join the church normally have attended newcomers class. On joining Sunday, those coming for membership are asked the following questions.
1. Do you profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
This means more than just a regular prayer offered up for the church, it means that we will commit to have a prayerful heart. It is a commitment to be spiritually engaged. There are going to be things that happen at any church that we may struggle with. As Christians, we make the commitment to be a positive part of a prayerful, caring solution. We are prayerfully, spiritually engaged.
If you are out socially on Saturday night and see another member of WCC, then you may both invoke the Saturday night rule and the other is challenged to be in church the next day. Remember, for those who may have been our really late on Saturday, we have an 11:15 service and a 5:00pm service.
We are looking for folks who will be committed to the church by their presence. We want to avoid the situation where a person wakes up in the morning and says…..should I stay in bed or should I go to church? If you are a member and you can physically get there, we hope that you will.
Remember, being at church is often not so much about what you will be getting, but about what you will be giving. Someone at church is waiting for your kind words this Sunday. Maybe you have invited friends who are visiting this Sunday…..please be there to greet them.
Gifts
10% is the goal that we ask members to work towards.
We encourage members to live in balance. To live their lives in such a way that they can keep first things first and then prayerfully, honestly consider in their hearts what God asks them to do.
Service
2. Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church and support it by your prayers, presence gifts and service?
What do these questions mean?
When we say that we are professing or confession our faith in Jesus Christ, we are saying that we believe him to be the son of God, the Savior of the world.
Our commitment to prayers, presence gifts and service, I would define as follows:
Prayers
When you choose to join the church, we ask that you pray for the church and its staff regularly.
Presence
If you choose to join the church, you are making a commitment to be present in worship services every week except for the following circumstances.
1.
If you are sick
2. If a loved one is sick and you are taking care of them
3. If you are out of town
I have had some fun with the Saturday night rule. In the Saturday night rule, I am inviting those who are hanging around socially on Saturday night with church friends, to make the same effort to be in church on Sunday morning.
It is our expectation that every member will fill out a pledge card and make a financial commitment to the general budget of the church. This is a common request made by all churches and we want those who choose to join, to understand this up front.
If you are at 2% this year, next year consider giving 3%. If you are at 5% this year, next year consider giving 6% etc.
Every Christian is to be in ministry.
If you are hurting, we invite you to sit, rest and heal.
But if you are well, we invite you to get out in the mission field for Jesus. The ultimate purpose of the church is to reach out to others in the name of Jesus Christ.
jeffb@woodschapelchurch.org
816.795.8848 x490
4725 NE Lakewood Way
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
