Membership

“Whoever you are and wherever you are in life’s journey, you are welcome in this church.”

Peacham Congregational Church

We welcome you to join our church community as:

A Member

You should become a Member; if you ascribe to our Statement of Faith, recently restated and updated by a vote of the members, the Church Covenant, and affirm your belief in God and Jesus as the focus of Christian Faith. You may do so even if you hold membership in another church. As a Member, you may vote at all membership meetings. You may serve on all committees and vote to approve our; operating and capital budgets, to elect Officers and Business Committee members, to elect Deacons. You will also be allowed to vote on all topics requiring a membership vote, including matters concerning our church ministry, such as to call a new pastor.

—or—

An Associate Member

An Associate Member supports our Church through attendance, contributions of service,

or providing financial support. Importantly, as included in the Church’s amended Constitution, you do not necessarily need to ascribe to and therefore do not need to accept the Church’s Statement of Faith or the Covenant. You may vote at all membership meetings [JM2], except those related to ministry, such as a vote to call a new pastor, and although you may not serve as a Deacon, you can serve on all other committees. Of significance, you may vote on the operating and capital budgets for the Church and call to elect our Officers and Business Committee members.

From Our Bylaws.

Article III. FAITH AND COVENANT OF THE CHURCH’S MEMBERS

Sec. 1. FAITH. The guiding principles of our Members’ common Faith are

embodied in the following “Statement of Faith:”

We believe in God

Whose love is the source of all life

And the desire of our lives,

Whose love was given a human face

In Jesus of Nazareth

And whose love, defeating even death by crucifixion,

Is our glorious promise of freedom.

Therefore, though we are sometimes fearful

And full of doubt,

In God we trust;

And, in the name of Jesus the Christ,

We commit ourselves, in the service of others,

To seek justice and to live in peace,

To care for the earth

And to share in the commonwealth

Of God’s goodness,

To live in the freedom of forgiveness

And the power of the Spirit of Love,

And in the company of the faithful

So to be the church,

By living our faith through spirit and action.

For the glory of God.

Peacham Congregational Church is an open and

affirming congregation,

welcoming all who earnestly seek faith and

fellowship in Christ to share in the

life, leadership, ministry,

membership, fellowship, worship, sacraments,

responsibilities, blessings and joys of our church.

We invite and welcome into our community

persons of every age, race, ability, economic and

social status, nationality, faith background,

gender, sexual orientation, gender identity

and expression, marital standing and family

structure.

“We recognize that when all people in our

communities are living in their truest identities,

with God’s peace and justice upholding them, we

are all lifted up, and God is glorified.”

February 2024

Sec. 2. THE COVENANT.

The Church’s Members covenant with each other as follows:

“We covenant to live with God in accordance with God’s Holy Will walking with

our fellow Church members and friends in Christian love.”