Becoming a Church Member
If you are already a member of the Church of Scotland and are moving to the parish of Kingshill, you can arrange for your membership to be transferred to our church. This is done through a transference certificate (sometimes referred to as 'moving your lines'). Similarly, if you are moving away from the parish of Kingshill, you should consider moving your lines to your new local parish church.
If you are a member of another denomination and wish to become a member of our church, this can be discussed with the Minister and Kirk Session.
If you are not already a member of any church, here is how you become a member of our church.
By Profession of Faith
To become a member of the Church you first become a Christian i.e. someone who has committed themselves to following Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that you have arrived at your final destination when it comes to faith. In the bible Jesus’ followers were called disciples ie learners. No matter what age we are, we are all still learners on the journey of faith. Nor does it mean that you have to have worked everything out or that you can’t have any doubts or questions.
Equally, becoming a Christian doesn’t happen because your parents are Christian. Our faith must be first-hand – not second-hand. Although, if you are brought up in the church you may not remember a time when you didn’t believe and trust in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We become followers of Jesus when we realise that we are sinful (or broken, or messed up), when we trust that Jesus died for our sins, when we believe that our sins are forgiven and that Jesus rose again, reconciling us to God and providing for us a new way to live.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31
The most common pattern for joining the Church of Scotland is that infant children of Church members are baptised and received into the body of Jesus Christ. The children become part of the church (through Sunday School at first) learning about faith in Jesus. In time it is hoped that the child will make their own public profession of faith (i.e. declaring that they believe and trust in Jesus) and the congregation promise at a child’s baptism to support them and their family through this.
This public profession of faith is sometimes known as confirmation. It can happen around the age of 16. Once an individual has made a profession of faith they can become a member of the Church, allowing them to participant in Holy Communion and become more involved in the life of the church eg voting at church meetings and eligibility to be elected to an office in the church such as eldership.
In order to help individuals to explore what faith in Jesus means, membership classes are organised twice a year.
Since 2013, it is necessary for those wishing to make a profession of faith to attend the Christianity Explored course (run through the year) and the membership classes. The course explores the following themes:
· Good news: What are we doing here?
· Identity: Who is Jesus?
· Sin: Why did Jesus come?
· The cross: Why did Jesus die?
· Resurrection: Why did Jesus rise?
· Grace: How can God accept us?
· Come and die: What does it mean to follow Jesus?
It also includes an away day. It enables participants to explore what it is to be a Christian and to make a decision regarding whether they want to commit their lives to Jesus Christ.
Every now and again, we run membership evenings will explore the details of our profession of faith, the promises you will be required to make (see below), what it means to be a church member, the life of the church and our denomination (the Church of Scotland).Please ask if this is something you are interested in joining.
If you want more detail about what we believe as Christians, please follow this link to the Church of Scotland website.
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about_us/our_faith/statements_of_the_churchs_faith.
If you want to know more about Jesus, check out this link:
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about_us/our_faith/who_is_jesus.
Promises of Church Membership
· A, B, C, D…believing in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and confessing Jesus Christ, as your Saviour and Lord, do you promise to join regularly with your fellow Christian in worship on the Lord’s Day?
· Do you promise to be faithful in reading the Bible, and in prayer?
· Do you promise to give a fitting proportion of your time, talents and money for the Church’s work in the world?
· Do you promise, depending on the grace of God, to profess publicly your loyalty to Jesus Christ, to serve him in your daily work, and to walk in his ways all the days of your life?
If you are a member of another denomination and wish to become a member of our church, this can be discussed with the Minister and Kirk Session.
If you are not already a member of any church, here is how you become a member of our church.
By Profession of Faith
To become a member of the Church you first become a Christian i.e. someone who has committed themselves to following Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that you have arrived at your final destination when it comes to faith. In the bible Jesus’ followers were called disciples ie learners. No matter what age we are, we are all still learners on the journey of faith. Nor does it mean that you have to have worked everything out or that you can’t have any doubts or questions.
Equally, becoming a Christian doesn’t happen because your parents are Christian. Our faith must be first-hand – not second-hand. Although, if you are brought up in the church you may not remember a time when you didn’t believe and trust in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We become followers of Jesus when we realise that we are sinful (or broken, or messed up), when we trust that Jesus died for our sins, when we believe that our sins are forgiven and that Jesus rose again, reconciling us to God and providing for us a new way to live.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31
The most common pattern for joining the Church of Scotland is that infant children of Church members are baptised and received into the body of Jesus Christ. The children become part of the church (through Sunday School at first) learning about faith in Jesus. In time it is hoped that the child will make their own public profession of faith (i.e. declaring that they believe and trust in Jesus) and the congregation promise at a child’s baptism to support them and their family through this.
This public profession of faith is sometimes known as confirmation. It can happen around the age of 16. Once an individual has made a profession of faith they can become a member of the Church, allowing them to participant in Holy Communion and become more involved in the life of the church eg voting at church meetings and eligibility to be elected to an office in the church such as eldership.
In order to help individuals to explore what faith in Jesus means, membership classes are organised twice a year.
Since 2013, it is necessary for those wishing to make a profession of faith to attend the Christianity Explored course (run through the year) and the membership classes. The course explores the following themes:
· Good news: What are we doing here?
· Identity: Who is Jesus?
· Sin: Why did Jesus come?
· The cross: Why did Jesus die?
· Resurrection: Why did Jesus rise?
· Grace: How can God accept us?
· Come and die: What does it mean to follow Jesus?
It also includes an away day. It enables participants to explore what it is to be a Christian and to make a decision regarding whether they want to commit their lives to Jesus Christ.
Every now and again, we run membership evenings will explore the details of our profession of faith, the promises you will be required to make (see below), what it means to be a church member, the life of the church and our denomination (the Church of Scotland).Please ask if this is something you are interested in joining.
If you want more detail about what we believe as Christians, please follow this link to the Church of Scotland website.
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about_us/our_faith/statements_of_the_churchs_faith.
If you want to know more about Jesus, check out this link:
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about_us/our_faith/who_is_jesus.
Promises of Church Membership
· A, B, C, D…believing in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and confessing Jesus Christ, as your Saviour and Lord, do you promise to join regularly with your fellow Christian in worship on the Lord’s Day?
· Do you promise to be faithful in reading the Bible, and in prayer?
· Do you promise to give a fitting proportion of your time, talents and money for the Church’s work in the world?
· Do you promise, depending on the grace of God, to profess publicly your loyalty to Jesus Christ, to serve him in your daily work, and to walk in his ways all the days of your life?