Membership in The Episcopal Church

How to Join Emmanuel

Basic Membership Requirements

The parish register of an Episcopal Church is the book where baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials are recorded. Sometime you will hear it referred to as "The Green Book." The Episcopal Church has canons that define when a person is considered an official member of this church and his or her name entered into the parish register. To be included as an official member of Emmanuel and entered in the parish register a person must be either: · baptized (at Emmanuel or proof provided of baptism in another church no matter which denomination) OR · confirmed or received (at Emmanuel or proof provided of confirmation or reception in another Episcopal church by letter of transfer). Confirmation is a sacramental rite of the church in which we express a mature commitment to Christ and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop. A person who is already baptized into a church that recognizes apostolic succession, such as the Catholic or Lutheran Churches, may be "received" into the Episcopal Church. Once a person’s name is entered into the parish register, it remains there until death, unless a letter of transfer to another church is requested. Members are either Active or Inactive. Members become inactive when: · He or she has not attended for more than a year and has not contributed either financially or in service to the parish; or · He or she attends another church, but no request for transfer has been received; or · He or she attends a church of a different denomination and no longer gives to this church or participates in this church’s worship.

Requirements to Vote in Parish Elections,

Serve on the Vestry, and

Serve as a Diocesan Delegate

In the Episcopal Church it is not often that the parish, as a whole, vote on issues. Those times include voting for our vestry, the governing body of the local church, and voting for those persons who will represent our church at the Alabama Diocesan Convention. In order to vote in parish elections, serve on the vestry and serve as a delegate from Emmanuel to the diocesan convention, a member of the church must meet higher standards of participation in the life of the church. Those six requirements include:

1. Confirmation or Reception into the Episcopal Church; and

2. Being over the age of 16; and

3. Being a communicant, which is a person who has taken communion at least three times during the last year; and

4. Being canonically resident in this parish (having proof of confirmation or reception in this parish register); and

5. Being physically present at the parish election; and

6. Being known to the priest and treasurer to be a regular contributor to the support of this parish program (either by service or financial contributions).

  Working Out the Details

You are welcome to participate in the life of Emmanuel whether you choose to become an official member or not. There are many choices concerning participation, and being involved at the level a person feels comfortable is important. If you do choose to become an official member of the church, you need to do the following, depending upon your current church affiliation:

If you are not baptized and wish to be (or if your child is not baptized and you wish for him or her to be) speak with our priest about making arrangements for baptism.

If you were baptized in another church which is not an Episcopal Church, you will need to ask Emmanuel to help you obtain proof of baptism so that you can be added to the parish register as a baptized member of Emmanuel. If you were baptized in another denomination, it is not necessary to formally move your membership from that denomination to an Episcopal church.

If you have not been confirmed or received and wish to be, speak with our priest about attending confirmation classes (usually in the Fall) to prepare the candidates for confirmation/reception when the bishop visits.

If you were baptized and/or confirmed in another Episcopal Church, you will need to ask that Emmanuel request that membership be transferred from that church to Emmanuel (referred to as "moving your letter").

                                         Help Joining Emmanuel

We recognize that you are a person sent by God to enrich our lives, and we want you to feel welcomed in the spirit of God’s love. Let us help you obtain documentation for membership. Contact the following persons for help:

Emmanuel’s Priest

or

The Church Secretary: call (334) 745-2054 Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Fridays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, or send an e-mail to emmanuelopelika@bellsouth.net