Becoming a Member
To become a member of North Eaton Christian Church requires a public confession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. We are pleased to receive those who are coming to Christ for the first time, as well as those who want to transfer their membership from another faith community.
The process is simple:
During the final hymn of any worship service, an individual may come forward to profess their faith. (This may be pre-arranged with the pastor weeks in advance or done as a spontaneous act during that worship service. You may choose to have family members or a close friend accompany you as a sign of their support.)
The pastor will meet you at the front of the sanctuary and, at the close of the hymn, ask, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and do you accept him as your Lord and Savior?” You will answer, “I do.”
The pastor will then extend to you “the right hand of Christian fellowship” and ask the congregation to pray as they pledge to support you in your Christian walk and growth. Afterwards, you (and anyone accompanying you) will be asked to join the pastor at the door to greet worshipers as they leave the sanctuary following the benediction.
The following Sunday (or at another, pre-arranged date), you may be presented with a Bible, membership certificate, and booklet about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). If you haven’t already attended a Pastor’s (membership) Class prior to making your public confession of faith, you will be invited to attend such an upcoming class series. The 6-week class is not mandatory but it will help familiarize you with the history and beliefs of this congregation and our parent denomination, as well as help you understand how Bible reading; prayer; Christian education; wise--yet generous--management of your time, talents, and treasure; and, regular church attendance work together to strengthen your faith, develop your spiritual gifts for service to others, and increase the quality of your life as you become an integral member of Christ’s worldwide community of faith.
If you’ve never been baptized, the pastor will work with you to set a date for that sacramental act. (NECC’s baptisms are a full-body immersion experience usually done during a worship service. The baptismal candidate is asked to wear a swimsuit or other modest attire under a white robe which we will provide. Immediately upon being baptized and before leaving the baptistry, the newly-baptized member of the global Christian community receives the sacrament of communion as a sign of their new life in Christ.)
If you were baptized as an infant or at any other time in your life (whether by full immersion or “sprinkling”, with the sign of the cross being made on your forehead with water), you do not need to be baptized again; your baptism, even if performed by a different faith community, remains valid.
