Some of the most comforting words in Scripture are from the mouth of Jesus: “[E]ven the hairs of your head are all counted” (Luke 12:7; see also Matthew 10:30). God does not simply love us; God loves us with a personal love, so personal that God counts the hairs on our heads. We, in essence, are more than just a number.
We live, of course, in an age of statistics. In society, in our jobs, and in our schools, we are reduced to percentages and numbers of people, and even with the Church, we can become so obsessed with numbers that we forget about the faces and hearts behind them. But with God, we are always more than just a number.
So, while we may be part of numbers that are counted (e.g., one of x number of people living in the state of Pennsylvania, or one of x number of Episcopalians, or one of x number of people in the parish’s list of active baptized members, we are more than just x. But being counted also matters. Being counted means both that we are more than a number and also that being an acknowledged part of a greater whole has profound meaning.
As Christians, we find our ultimate membership in our baptism into the Body of Christ. We are certainly “counted” before baptism, but baptism is the visible, sacramental expression of our adoption into the family of God, where we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and are bound to one another. This binding extends far beyond our biological families. We become members of a new family. I am often asked what being a member of Good Shepherd entails. In the Episcopal Church, membership is defined as follows: “All persons who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, whether in this Church or in another Christian Church, and whose Baptisms have been duly recorded in this Church, are members thereof.” This is why Holy Communion is open to all baptized persons, regardless of denomination or age.
But more specifically, our accountability as members of Christ’s larger Body happens most acutely in our parishes of membership. In these little microcosms of the Body of Christ, we come to know one another, sharing in our joys and sorrows, and it is in the parish that we most vividly find support when we’re in need and the encouragement to seek reconciliation when it is necessary. The rites of Baptism and Marriage in the prayer book demand vows from those present to support the candidates for baptism and the couple being married. This is accountability. And so, it is important, both from a statistical perspective but more importantly from a spiritual perspective that we acknowledge our responsibility to one another in the Church.
The canons of the Episcopal Church define aspects of our common life together, and these are supplemented by diocesan bylaws and parish bylaws. Each year, every parish in the Episcopal Church reports membership. “‘All persons who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, whether in this Church or in another Christian Church, and whose Baptisms have been duly recorded in this Church,’ are members thereof. (Canon I.17.1) Note: A person’s baptism, when duly recorded in the Register of Church Membership and Rites (also known as the Parish Register or Church Register) of the recording congregation, is his/her record of membership in the Episcopal Church.” Our parish bylaws state that active baptized members who have contributed financially to the life of the parish are eligible to vote in parish elections. This is important: here we are accountable to one another. Those of us who are deeply involved in the life of this parish delegate great responsibilities for the well-being of this parish to others.
How does one go about becoming an official member of Good Shepherd?
If you have previously been a member of another Episcopal parish, please ask that parish to transfer your "letter of membership" to Good Shepherd.
If you were baptized in another denomination, you can simply let us know that you want your baptism recorded here at Good Shepherd, and we can record that. If you have a copy of a baptismal certificate, we would like to have that on file, too. Please contact Father Kyle if you have any questions.
But I also believe that our membership is more than just paperwork and numerical accountability. I encourage any of you who are new to the Episcopal Church (even within the past few years) to consider formation in the Episcopal and wider Anglican tradition. If you were baptized, especially at a young age, the Church expects that you will make a mature, public affirmation of that faith, which is called Confirmation. And if you are new to the Episcopal Church (from say the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or another tradition in which you were confirmed), it is appropriate to be officially received by a bishop into the Episcopal Church (called Reception into the Episcopal Church). Our Pilgrims in Christ class is appropriate and encouraged for those of you who may want to mark this particular year as an opportunity to deepen your faith and become a member of Good Shepherd. You can register here. Pilgrims is also intended for those who have been Episcopalians for years, too! This year’s class meets on the first three Thursdays of each month, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and our format is hybrid in-person/Zoom. The first six meetings will be specifically an introduction to the Anglican tradition, and anyone is welcome to participate in just these first six classes.
If you feel that it is time for you to make Good Shepherd your “official” parish home, please contact me. Regardless of your decision in that regard, I am delighted that you are here. Both official members and others who are active in the life of the parish contribute significantly to God’s work here, and I am deeply appreciative of that. Each of you is counted as God’s beloved child. You are loved by God as more than just a number. Your gifts and presence at Good Shepherd are welcome, regardless of whether you vote in parish elections and are an active baptized member. And most of all, God has brought you here for a special reason, and for that, I am grateful.
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle