Membership Has Its Privileges by Michelle

One of my former students posted a message on Facebook not too long ago. Her membership in an auto club was about to expire. She had received the membership as a gift, and was trying to decide whether it was worth renewing. The outpouring of responses was incredible. People weighed in with all kinds of suggestions: alternative, less expensive clubs that offered similar services; programs offered by her current club that she didn’t know existed; ways in which she might be qualifying for such services through other groups.

In short, through one little question, she discovered a myriad of uses for her club. Her uncle had given her the card, and told her to use it if she ever had car trouble. It turns out, membership had privileges. She just didn’t know until she asked. In the end, she felt like she had wasted her free year of membership, by not using all that it offered. Is the same true of your relationship to St. Paul’s?

St. Paul’s – and all Episcopal Churches – are a little different from most discount clubs. We offer some of our services – most notably worship – free to anyone who wants it, any time they want it, as often as they want it. You won’t get that from a club! So, if you think all that a church offers is worship, you are probably wondering why you should become a “member” of St. Paul’s in the first place?

Membership has its privileges.

When you are a member – whether of the Christian community around the world, or more specifically as a member of the Episcopal Church or the parish of St. Paul’s, you can participate more fully in the work of God in the world. For example, you can:

• Receive the sacraments. Though anyone may join us for worship, communion and some of the other sacraments are reserved for those who have received Christian baptism, in essence becoming members of the Christian community.
• Get help from the community. All a St. Paul’s member has to do is pick up the phone, and St. Paul’s will come to help. Whether it’s a team of youth to help shovel snow for those unable to do so, a flower brought to cheer someone in the hospital, or a visit from a priest to pray for and comfort a dying person and their family – there are a variety of ways in which St. Paul’s can ease troubles.
• Deepen faith. Our publications - like the Messenger - our classes and our discussions are all open to anyone. But, we as a staff are here to serve the congregation. If you have questions, things, you’d like to discuss, programs you’d like to see, we are happy to explore those with you.
• Stop going it alone. Modern life can be very isolating. Trying to talk to a computer on the phone is enough to make anyone wonder if they are valued as a human being. But, everything we do as a community emphasizes that each member is important. Whether its singing during worship on Sunday, helping to cook at a fish fry, or enjoying some dinner and conversation during a Wednesday at St. Paul’s, there are lots of ways to feel connected.
• Find help to do good. At its simplest, any church is a group of people who gather together to worship God and find strength to do God’s work in the world. For many people, this happens during worship on Sunday, through the inspiration of Scripture, music and sermon, and the nourishment of Eucharist. But, the parish can also be a place to find other people to help in other ways. Want to help the poor but don’t know how? Join our outreach efforts! Feel angry from working with an unsupportive colleague, or exhausted after caring for family members? Commiserate over coffee hour, or join a support group! Have a great idea that might change the world? St. Paul’s has helped launch many projects that have had a positive impact in the Pittsburgh area, including the East End Family Health Care Center and Jeremiah’s Place, the first crisis nursery in Pittsburgh. Churches are filled with people who share the belief that Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, and are looking for ways to do just that.

There are countless other perks that come with membership. Don’t let yours go to waste!

Michelle+