our life is worship.
|
|
|
Learn more about the Episcopal Church here
|
|
At the center of our life is worship. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Becoming a Member What does it mean to be a member of Trinity Church? Below are frequently asked questions about membership. If you have other questions, do not hesitate to contact the Reverend David Stout at 732-775-5084 or stout@trinitynj.com 1. Why go to Trinity Church or any other church? One way to think about this is ordinary and human: it is much easier to make it in the world as part of a community/family. Belonging to a community is a basic human need. Here you share a purpose, ways of behaving toward one another, traditions and a sense that someone knows and cares about you. The other way is religious or spiritual. For Christians, specifically, there is a story: God in Christ lived his life to give us freedom, loving us so that we might love others and thereby saving us from ourselves—meaning from false choice—by giving us better and deeper choices. We call it the Good News. The movement that spreads this news is called the church, and it’s radically welcoming to all who come. 2. What is a member? A member is any person who has been baptized with water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, whether in the Episcopal Church or any other Christian church, and has requested that their baptism be recorded in this parish’s records. If you are not baptized and would like to find out what baptism means and when it is offered, do not hesitate to contact the Rev. David Stout. He will be more than happy to talk with you and answer questions. 3. What is expected of me as a member? We expect that you want to be among us for the primary purpose of worshipping God in joy and power. That you commit to worship as regularly as possible in your life. That you believe that God gives us all that we have and are, and that the people of God, including you, learn how to be a giver—to the church for its work, and to the needs of others. That life and church, are not about being right, but about being open. Members commit to rethink and re-do when they fail, and God is open to such “repentance” again and again. That you help spread the Good News of God in Christ whenever and however possible for you. That you join with others not only in prayer, but in working for justice and peace in the human family. That you respect the dignity of every human being. In other words:
When you go to someone’s home for dinner, hopefully you enjoy a warm welcome, a generous meal, and fellowship with your friend and their family. But, there is a difference between being a guest at the table and a family member. Some say it is merely the common blood that flows through the family’s veins. But those who are adopted, married, or have had a commitment ceremony know that it is more. In a healthy family unit, there is a bond present. A commitment to take care of one another, to support one another through the good and the bad. This unspoken understanding generates an ease and freedom to be yourself, to be who God created you to be, safe in the knowledge that they are a part of you and you a part of them no matter what. The church word for this bond is “covenant.” We who are baptized are united, adopted into the family of God. And not only in this life, but also in the life to come. Baptism is our way of expressing this commitment formally and publicly to God and to one another. Becoming a member of a local community of faith is the way we live out that covenant. 5. How do I become a member? When you tell us that you wish to be a member, we, from that moment, consider you a member. So the best way to let us know you wish to become a member is to write a note, make a phone call, send an email (office@trinitynj.com) or speak to the Rev. David Stout who will then record you as a member. If you’re a member of another Episcopal Church, you can contact that church (or ask us to do it) and ask that a Letter of Transfer of membership be sent from that church to Trinity Church. If you are baptized here, confirmed or received by the Bishop, you become a member. Providing us your baptismal information (date & place) is requested, but if you do not have it, your word is good enough. 6. After I ask to be recorded as a member, is there anything else? Absolutely! We want to recognize your decision and formally welcome you. Several times a year we have a Welcome Sunday. All you need to do is come to the 10:00am service on one of those Sundays. Sit anywhere you wish. Come forward at the appointed time along with others who have been recently recorded as members and those becoming members on that day. You do not have to participate in a Welcome Sunday to become a member. However, we hope you will, since it is our way of celebrating your becoming a part of this family. Contact the parish office for the date of the next Welcome Sunday. 7. I heard that if I become a member I could not only refer to myself as an Episcopalian but also as an Anglican. What is an Anglican? The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion. In its simplest understanding, it is all the churches in the world that trace their roots back to the Church of England. There are over 70 million Christians who are a part of the Anglican Communion worldwide. 8. What if I am a member of another church, can I belong here too? Definitely. It is important to remember that, first and foremost, you are a member of the family of God, which is accomplished through baptism. The choice then is where you feel drawn to live out your baptismal vows of worship and service to God. Many people who are members of another church, be it an Episcopal church or a church of a another denomination, choose to make Trinity Church their second church home and be recorded as a member here as well. We welcome you to do this. 9. If I want to learn more before I decide to become a member, what can I do? There are several ways for people to discover what it would mean to be a part of this community:
|