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| . . . so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. Romans 12:5b Joining Our Family We are so glad that you want to know more about membership at Mansfield First United Methodist Church. Whether you have visited us once or many, many times, we pray that you have found fellowship, family, and faith within our church, and God in your heart. We are honored that you have chosen to investigate joining our family, and we want you to know that we are here and available to answer all of your questions now, and in the future. Please feel free to contact Rev. J.J. at 479-928- 4851. Welcome. Why should I join? We often associate the word membership with clubs and associations. But membership in the church is a very different type of belonging. Being a member of a church requires first of all a commitment to Christ and secondly it requires a commitment to a particular worshiping community with a specific mission and particular values. When you join in ministry with us at Mansfield, you are also joining in ministry with United Methodist Christians throughout the world. That is why we ask new members for a promise to support Mansfield and the United Methodist Church with their prayers, their presence, their gifts and their service. But membership also means that we at Mansfield are committed to supporting you with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service. Membership at Mansfield initiates you into a new and bigger Christian family! How do I become a member? You may become a member in one of the following ways: * Transfer of Membership from another United Methodist Church—If you are currently an active member of another United Methodist Church , you may choose to have your membership transferred. We will ask if you will faithfully support this congregation with “your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service.” * Transfer of Membership from another denomination—If you are currently an active member of another denomination, you may choose to have your membership dropped from their rolls and become a member here. We recognize all types of Christian baptism and will not require you to be re- baptized regardless of when and how old you were when you were baptized. We will ask you to be loyal to the United Methodist Church and to faithfully support this congregation with “your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service.” * Reaffirmation of Faith—If you have been baptized at some point in your life, but have not been actively involved in a church for quite some time, you may join by reaffirmation of your faith. We will ask you if you believe in Jesus Christ and if you will affirm your faith as found in both the old and New Testaments. We will then ask you to be loyal to the United Methodist Church and to faithfully support this congregation with “your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service.” * Confession/Profession of Faith— If you have never been baptized and have never made a decision to express your commitment to Christ or never actually joined a church, you may join by confession of your faith and Christian baptism. If you have been baptized but have never joined a church or confirmed your faith, you may join by profession of faith. When can I become a member? There is an opportunity to join our family at every worship service. You are welcome to come forward when the pastor issues the invitation and join Mansfield FUMC by any of the methods listed above. If you wish, you may contact us and let us know that you plan to join on a particular Sunday, but that is not necessary. You may also choose to meet with Rev. J.J. outside of worship service and arrange to join our family then as well. Before you join you may want to attend Methodism 101, an informal discussion of the basic beliefs, history, and mission of the United Methodist Church. Feel free to join this discussion any Sunday at 10:00am, or come at 9:30 and have coffee and doughnuts before class begins. What about my children? Can they be members? Children who have already received Christian baptism, but who have not confessed their faith in Jesus Christ, will be enrolled as preparatory members of Mansfield until they are old enough to participate in confirmation classes. Youth may choose to join on profession of faith and they will be enrolled in our next confirmation class. Children and youth who have not yet been baptized are still a very important part of our community! And we will pray and work toward the day that they are baptized and confess their faith. The baptism of infants and children is a special moment in the life of the church. We schedule Baptisms as needed. If you wish to have your child baptized, please contact the church office. |
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