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Not too long ago I was asked, "What does it mean to be a 'member' of Stone Church?" That's a good question! Many "non-members" participate fully in worship, study, service, and fellowship sharing their time, energy, and resources. So, what difference does it make if you are a "member"?

In a practical way, one of the only differences is there are certain roles in the church that must be filled by a member, for example chair of Staff-Parish relations committee.

In a deeper way, becoming a member of the church involves a public commitment to Christ's work as lived out in this community of faith called Stone UMC. Of new members I ask a confirmation of their commitment to Christ. I also ask,"Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church, and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service?"

In "normal times" we would have a short memberhsip class briefly covering the history of Methodism, the guiding books of the church (primarily the Bible and the Book of Discipline) and Methodist doctrine and polity. We would also talk about the history of Stone Church and the particulars of this congregation. Most of this can be done now online or with a Zoom meeting.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact me. I look forward to welcoming new members into Stone Church in August...

~Pastor Sarah