Becoming a Member

Grace Lutheran Church is a congregation of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Membership at Grace Lutheran Church is based on your confession (agreement) with the teachings of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as drawn from the Holy Scriptures and the Book of Concord (The Lutheran Confessions). There are four ways to become a member of Grace.

The first method is by baptism. Children who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism at Grace Lutheran Church and have been placed under the spiritual care of this congregation shall be considered baptized members. Children who have been baptized by another Christian church through water and the Word in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and who personally or through their guardian, express the desire to be members of this congregation shall be considered baptized members.

The second method is confirmation (youth or adult).  Baptized members of Grace go through a two year period of instruction beginning in the seventh grade and they are confirmed at the end of eighth grade.  The Rite of Confirmation for youth is one in which a young person confesses for themselves what their parents confessed for them at the time of their baptism.  Adults who are not baptized and desire to become members would first take adult instruction classes, be baptized and then make a confession of faith in the Rite of Confirmation for adults.

The third method is by transfer. This is when a member of another LCMS congregation who moves to this area requests a transfer of membership from their former congregation to Grace Lutheran Church.

The fourth method is profession of faith. This can happen one of two ways.  When a baptized and confirmed adult from another Lutheran church body indicates that they believe what the LCMS teaches and they desire to become members of our church.  Or baptized and confirmed adults who were once members of an LCMS congregation who have become inactive, and desire to be active members of the church once again.

Grace offers an adult instruction class for all those who are beyond youth confirmation age (older than 8th grade) and are interested in church membership at Grace.  If you would like to learn more about The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, or would like to refresh your understanding of what we teach and believe as LCMS Christians, you are invited to come.  Watch the newsletter, church bulletin and website for information on when Pastor will be teaching the class.

ADULT MEMBERSHIP CLASS Are you interested in becoming a member of Grace Lutheran Church? Maybe  you are already a member and want a refresher course on what we teach and believe?  If you have questions, speak to Pastor Thoe.

If you have any questions regarding membership at Grace please feel free to contact our Pastor at (615) 893-0338.