Why Membership?
Not everyone is all that interested in becoming an official member of MSC, and that's totally okay. You can still participate fully in the life of the church--attending, serving, giving--without going through membership class.
So why bother? Good question. Membership at a lot of churches involves a rubber stamp process: You're invited to “come down front” during a service and announce your intention to join the church--then you receive a box of offering envelopes, and presto! Welcome to the church family. You're now a member.
At Morning Star we look at becoming a member a bit differently. We recognize that joining a church means more than just saying, “I do.” When you become a Christian, you commit your life to Christ. When you join a local church, you commit yourself to that particular group of Christ-followers. You're saying: "Okay, guys. This is my place, now. This is where I'm going to give and be given to; where I'll serve and be served; where I'll love and be loved."
In short, membership at MSC means something. And we invite you to be a part of it!
Is Membership Class the right "next step" for you?
Have you attended Open Mike Night? At Open Mike Night, our Lead Pastor, Mike Schreiner, share's MSC's mission, vision, and core values . . . and he answers your questions about our church and denomination. (ALL of your questions. He's heard them all, so don't be shy!) Aside from our worship services, Open Mike Night is THE place to help you figure out if MSC is a good fit for you.
Are you a Christian? If your answering is a resounding "Yes!" then Membership Class will make sense to you. If your answer is, "Not yet" or "I'm really not sure" or "I don't even know what that means," we have a couple of other options that will be more meaningful for you. (And don't be embarrased; we have lots of "No" and "I dunno" folks at MSC!) Check out Starting Point or Step Across the Line.
What to Expect
Membership Class is 6 weeks long as outlined below. Some weeks, you'll be asked to do a little work outside of class. (And don't think of the homework like, "BLECH." Think of the homework like, "WOO HOO!" It's good stuff that will make a difference in your life!) You'll share the experience with 30 people or so, and you'll learn from several different volunteer instructors.
- Session 1. Orientation, expectations, getting to know folks in the class, and so on
- Session 2. Prayers and Presence (praying for the church and being in worship)
- Session 3. Gifts (tithing)
- Session 4. Service (ministry)
- Session 5. Witness (inviting)
- Session 6. Vows and Celebration
For more information about Membership Class, please contact Rebecca.