Dr. Eberhard Speaks Out - "Church Membership"
The Rev. Dr. David Eberhard presents an article called "Dr. Eberhard Speaks Out." He challenges us with his thoughts and experience as a leading churchman in America. While we may agree, or not agree, he shares with us what he has learned that works in the local parish. Over his forty years of experience in the ministry, and 24 years in the political arena, he has always tended to be ahead of the current curve and is always "pushing the envelope" to get us to expand our thinking.
What constitutes membership in a local congregation? The answer to that varies all over the place. For some it is being a confirmed member, a person who has gone through confirmation or adult membership classes. Often a person is not allowed to attend communion unless he or she is a "card carrying" member of that parish. It may seem to some that if a person goes through 6 or 12 instruction classes that makes one a good Lutheran. A brief instruction period cannot be expected to change all of one's life learned religious practices, customs and even some beliefs. A baptized member is one who has been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. But too often after baptism there is no contact with the child or their parents. Others think you need to be "re-baptized" in order to be sure it was done right. Most of this leads to a "club house" mentality in the parish. One pastor remarked to me, "when I came here we had 500 members, but now we have 200 real Lutherans". Yea, and good luck! Who is now paying the bills?
Generally individuals who attend a church service fall into three categories:
- Card carrying members
- Attendees
- Visitors
Attendees are those who attend services and participate in parish activities, but have not signed up on the dotted line. Often the attendees attend services very regularly, participate in the church life on a regular basis, and contribute generously. These folks want to attend, but they are not into signing on the dotted line for anything.
Visitors are those who attend a worship service. They may be members of another congregation who like also to attend another church. They may be those who are "shopping" for a new parish. They may be those who have become so disenfranchised and upset with changes in worship, structure, or pastor in their present church, that they need to take a break. Most visitors wish to remain anonymous, they do not appreciate being pointed out as visitors, tagged as visitors, or asked to come forward. Let them become comfortable, and they will return again. Woe is the parish that does not have visitors at its worship services. Where is the new growth going to come from?
Another form of church membership that works and is catching on is a "Dual Membership" A dual member is one who has signed up as a member at another parish different from his or her home parish. We do it all the time with the "snow birds" in Florida, and other winter get aways. Let's say Mary who is a grandmother has belonged to a downtown church all her life. She was married there, her children were baptized and married there, and her husband was buried from there. But now she has to move out to the suburbs to be with her children. She attends a church out there and the pastor tells her she cannot attend communion unless she becomes a "card carrying" member at that church. She is asked to give up her roots at the downtown church. A dual membership lets her do both. Are we so hyped on running a private club that we feel threatened letting others attend who are not "card carrying" members? Will that do a great harm to the parish? If the worry is who gives her the church envelopes, then you do it. Get real, it takes more opportunities than just the "Sunday Offering Envelope" to support the church's needs. Since when is the Body of Christ limited to four walls of any given church? In America we are losing one downtown parish after another . It would be great if others saw fit to have their members once in awhile attend and support the downtown church, to see that there is the presence of the church in downtown for generations to come. How easily we run off to Africa, India, or the Islands and call it mission work. Hello, out there, there is mission work to be done right in your own back yard. So lighten up, a few dual memberships are not going to hurt you - it might even open up greater opportunities for both parishes to proclaim Jesus is Lord of us all.
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Historic Trinity Lutheran Church
1345 Gratiot Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48207
Phone: (800) 268-3058 (Michigan Only) or (313) 567-3100
Fax: (313) 567-3209
Email: Historic Trinity