How to become a member of #MAUMC |
Joining the Maple Avenue United Methodist Church is a simple process, and since we like to see people joining our fellowship, we make it as painless as possible. To express your desire, you can call the church office (812-232-7263) and speak with the pastor or you can check the "Wish to join” box on the Sunday Worship Attendance Registration. We will then work out the details with you. There are three basic doors through which people enter church membership:
1. Transfer of membership from another United Methodist Church If you would like to transfer your membership from another United Methodist Church, this can be done quickly and easily. Since you have already taken the membership vows and been baptized, joining becomes a matter of recognizing you and your transfer during a worship service. That is all there is to it. 2. Transfer of membership from a different denomination If you would like to transfer your membership from another denomination (like Baptist, Presbyterian, etc), this is also fairly simple. We United Methodists affirm the validity of the baptisms and confessions of faith of almost all other denominations. The pastor would want to meet with you first to explain how United Methodists operate and some of our unique characteristics. Then you would be recognized during a worship service and asked: "Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church, and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?" You reply: "I will". The congregation welcomes you and pledges to support you. We have prayer, and you're an official member. 3. Confession of faith If you have never been a member of a church before, or you’ve never been baptized, you would be received into membership by "Confession of Faith". The pastor would meet with you to share the basics of the Christian faith, and the peculiarities of United Methodism. Young people often do this through "Confirmation Class", which is typically (although not always) for young people in the 5th grade and up. Then you would be invited to make your faith public during a worship service by replying to the following questions: Question: "Do you believe in God the Father?" Reply: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth." Question: "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" Reply: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord." Question: "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" Reply: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." Baptism would follow (if you haven't been baptized already) Question: "Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church, and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?" You reply: "I will". The congregation welcomes you and pledges to support you. We have prayer, and you're an official member. You don't have to be officially recognized as a member to be part of our fellowship. You are already welcome to celebrate the Lord's Supper with us. You are already welcome to participate in any of our programs. But you are invited to make your relationship with us official, and if you would like to do this, we would be honored to receive you into membership. |