Membership 

What is Church Membership?
‘All those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and accept the obligation to serve Him in the life of the church and the world are welcome as full members of the Methodist church’

Your commitment:
As a member of the Methodist Church, you are called to:

• Worship within the local church, including regular sharing in Holy Communion, and through personal prayer
• Learning and caring through Bible Study and meeting for fellowship, so that you may grow in faith and support others in their disciple- ship.
• Service by being a good neighbour in the community, challenging injustice and using your resources to support the church in its mission in the world.
• Evangelism, through working out your faith in daily life and sharing Christ with others.

Church Membership in Practice
Because of the varying circumstances of members, the working out of their membership commitment will vary from person to person. What is most important is that you express a commitment to God, in Jesus Christ. That commitment is then put into practice both within the church and in the world.

Pastoral Care
Methodism has always been noted for its emphasis on caring for it’s members. This it does through a pastoral care system. Each member is assigned a pastoral visitor who is there as a ‘contact’ and on the church’s behalf. The name of your pastoral visitor is on your membership ticket. If you have a particular need for care, they should be contacted. Of course, the Minister is always available for pastoral care of members. Pastoral Visitors serve alongside the Minister as his ‘ears, eyes and hands’ to ensure that no-one is uncared for.

FAQs:
Why become a member?
Many of our members speak of a sense of belonging and they really value being a part of the church

I’m a Christian. Why do I need to be a church member?
Becoming a member of the Methodist church ‘nails your colours to the mast’ . As a Christian it says to the wider world ‘I’m a Christian and I express that through membership of this local Methodist church’

Do I have to be baptised/christened to be a member?
Yes. But if you haven't been baptised, talk to the Minister who can arrange for this to happen.

Do I have to have been confirmed to be a member?
If you have been confirmed/received adult baptism then you do not need to be confirmed/baptised again. We simply ‘transfer’ your membership to us. If you haven't been confirmed/adult baptised this can be arranged with the Minister as part of your welcoming service

How much does it cost?
There is no membership fee! However, part of the commitment of membership is to ‘use your re- sources to support the church..’ which means people do give a financial gift on a regular basis through the offering.

How does the church show I am a member?
When you become a member we publicly welcome you in Sunday worship . Annually you then receive a ticket of Methodist membership.

What if I used to belong to a different denomination or no denomination at all?
No problem! Talk to the Minister about this.

If you are interesting in becoming a member or want to find out more, please contact our Minister. Contact details can be found here.