New Member Expectations

Thank you so much for your interest in membership at St. John’s Lutheran!  There is little we love more than welcoming growing disciples of Jesus into our midst. Please understand that we do not take this commitment lightly, and we kindly ask the same of you.  We want to help you discover (or rediscover!) that you are a beloved child of God called to “be love” to the world.  Faith development is essential to growing your relationship with Christ.  Therefore, we ask that particular attention is paid to worship, plus one other area of faith:  service, spiritual growth, or fellowship.

Worship.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” -Hebrews 10:24-25
Please make worshiping regularly with us a priority.  We realize that some folks may not be able to make it every week, but we’d like to see you more often than not!  God commands us to meet together in his name to encourage and build each other up.  Besides, it’s just good for the soul.

Worship Plus One.  In addition to regular worship, we ask that you develop your faith in at least one other way:
Service.
“Fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” -1 Samuel 12:24  
There are so many ways to serve others at St. John’s!  During this journey, we encourage you to try one of them.  This could be during an actual worship service as an usher or greeter.  Or, it could be on a volunteer basis at one of our events or within one of our ministries. We can’t wait to explore the many ways we can put all your spiritual gifts to good use!
Spiritual Growth.
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -2 Peter 3:18  
We love serving others, and hope you do too!  But we also don’t want you to forget to feed your own faith!  That’s why, during this process, we ask that you do one thing for yourself . . . and your faith.  The possibilities are endless:  read a daily devotional, join a Bible study, or attend the men or women’s retreat.  We can’t wait to hear what you decide!
​Fellowship.
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:11
Fellowship is a natural byproduct that emerges from meeting and working together to fulfill God’s plans for His church.  This can be as simple as greeting new people within worship or as involved as using spiritual gifts to help organize an event.  Fellowship is intertwined in virtually all that we do!

​When you’re ready to commit, we’ll celebrate with the New Member Class.  We can’t wait to welcome you!  And, don’t worry . . . we’ll be with you and fervently praying for you every step of the way.  If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Kaylor at nkaylor@sjlarnold.org. 

New Member Classes
​ Levels 1 and 2

New Member Classes are offered for those interested in becoming members of St. John's.  There are two types of New Member Classes:

• The six-week, New Member Class (Level 1) covers Biblical truths and Christian beliefs. It is designed for those who are new to the LCMS.  Once Level 1 is complete, participants move on to the Level 2 class.
• The one evening, New Member Class (Level 2) focuses more specifically on St. John's, spiritual gifts, and a life of discipleship. It is designed for those transferring from another LCMS church.

The next sessions begin:

• Level 1
  • Tuesday, September 3, 2019
• Level 2
  • Sunday, October 13, 2019

Registration is required for materials. 
Free babysitting and/or Sunday school are offered during each session.

Please contact Nicole Kaylor at nkaylor@sjlarnold.org to discuss membership or registration.