Why Membership Matters

I’ve been a devoted fan of public radio since I was a kid, riding in the back of our Ford Pinto station wagon while Susan Stamberg (may she rest in peace) brought us the news on All Things Considered.

For any NPR listener, a sure sign of fall is the autumn membership drive. As regular as the return of pumpkin spice lattes, radio hosts and community members spend days reminding us why membership matters – why we should support something that we already receive for free.

Listening to my new hometown station KMUW on my way to church last week, I found myself thinking about why church membership matters.

Of course, it matters to the congregation. We simply couldn’t do what we do without the faithful support of members who have pledged their time, talents, and treasures over the years. Without that commitment, there would be no space for the 70-plus preschoolers at Jacob’s Learning Ladder, no room for community groups from GA to ACAP, no open doors for teens to gather safely during the week, and no sanctuary for us to worship in together on Sundays.

But membership also matters for you. Becoming a member of a faith community isn’t just about making a pledge—though that’s important. It’s about saying: These are my people. This is my journey of faith. These are the companions who will point the way, encourage me when I’m weary, catch me when I stumble, lift me up when I fall, and love me as I am.

Church membership is a way of joining in faith that the Spirit continues to move through this congregation – bringing love, compassion, peace, mercy, and justice into our community and the world.

If you’ve been worshiping with us for a while and would like to learn more about Grace Presbyterian – our story, our Reformed tradition, and why we do what we do in worship—we’re offering a New Member Class on Sunday, November 9 at 10:00 a.m. I’d love for you to join us.

If you’d like to learn more, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at the church.

See you in church,
Pastor Kevin