Hope Membership

In the Name of God Te Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit I reaffirm my commitment to Jesus Christ made at my :

• With God’s help I will continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.

• With God’s help I will persevere in resisting evil and whenever I fall into sin, I will repent and turn to the Lord.

• With God’s help I will proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.

• With God’s help I will seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself.

• With God’s help I will strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.

• With God’s help I will reverently and gladly receive the nurture, teaching, and discipline of those ministers of the Church charged with the care of my soul.

• With God’s help I will support Hope Church with my prayers, my presence, my gifts, my fnances, and my service.

______Name

______Signature

______Date Commentary on the Membership Covenant of Hope Church (Tis commentary is considered the authoritative, but not exhaustive, interpretation of the covenant.)

In the Name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit… All that we are, do, and believe as members of the Body of Christ is to the glory of the God revealed in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. In keeping with our Anglican heritage, rooted in the apostolic witness, we believe that:

Tere is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infnite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (Article I of the Tirty-Nine Articles of Religion)

In affirming this, I state that I believe that the God revealed in Holy Scripture and believed upon by the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church is the only true and living God (Exodus 20:1-3; Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; Psalm 115:14-18, John 14:6).

I reaffirm my commitment to Jesus Christ made at my baptism… Tis means that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord by faith, trusting in his grace alone for salvation. Faith in Christ is more than mere mental assent or intellectual agreement. Rather it means that I have renounced the world, the fesh, and the devil and have entrusted my entire existence to, and entered into relationship with Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13)

Tis also indicates that I have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with the means of water and in the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God has acted objectively, sovereignly, and powerfully in my baptism to claim me as his own. I have received the grace poured out on me in baptism by placing my faith in Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-39)

Tis also means that it is my intention to keep the specifc following commitments by remaining in close fellowship with God and trusting him to work powerfully through me. (John 15:5-8)

With God’s help… Tis means I understand that I cannot, by my own strength, live the Christian life, but that God must empower me by the Person of his Holy Spirit. (Philippians 4:13) As I submit to God the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence in my life I will grow more and more into the likeness of his Son Jesus Christ.

Tis also means that I understand that the Christian life is a journey with Jesus. Each day, as I seek to walk with Christ, he guides me deeper into a life-giving, life- transforming relationship with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If I do try to lead the Christian life by my own effort, I will become anxious, discouraged and defeated. (Romans 8:5-8) However, if I submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I will fnd strength, encouragement, and joy in the journey. (Galatians 5:16-26) I may stumble and fall along the way, but Jesus, the Good Shepherd, never gives up on me. If I will listen to his voice, and return to him, he will lift me up, restore me, and set me on the path to greater love and deeper fellowship with God. (Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 15:11-32; Philippians 3:12-14)

I will continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers… Tis means that I will seek to read, mark (i.e., give my full attention to), learn and inwardly digest the Holy Scriptures privately, with my family and community group, and as the Scriptures are proclaimed in public worship. Te core teachings of the Christian faith are presented in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Our particular Anglican doctrinal emphases are presented in the Tirty-Nine Articles of Religion. (Acts 2:42)

Tis also means that I will remain in fellowship with other believers through opportunities presented by worship on the Lord’s Day and by developing relationships with others at Hope Church.

I understand that the Sacrament of Holy Communion, (also known as the Lord’s Supper or the ) is an indispensable and biblical part of Christian worship and discipleship along with the teaching of God’s Word.

I will seek to cultivate a life of prayer. Tis means I will grow in my ability to pray for all the members of the Body, for our leaders, for my family, and for myself. I recognize that I am strongly urged to practice the Anglican way of morning and evening prayer in one of the forms presented in the Book of Common Prayer.

I will persevere in resisting evil and whenever I fall into sin, I will repent and turn to the Lord… Tis means that I will “keep short accounts with God.” I will seek to heed the warnings of the Holy Spirit not to sin. When I fall into sin, I will confess it to God, repent, and seek his forgiveness. (1 John 1:9-2:2) I understand that being in community means that my brothers and sisters are responsible to watch over me in love and offer gentle correction and encouragement when I stumble and fall into sin. (Galatians 6:1-2, Colossians 3:16)

I will proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ… Tis means that I will seek to live a life worthy of the Gospel and that I will pursue personal holiness seeking to “perfectly love God and worthily magnify his holy name. (Philippians 1:27; 1 John 2:6) Tis means that I will be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in me by sharing my faith in Christ as God enables me and offers opportunity. (1 Peter 3:15)

I will seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself… Tis means that I remember that I am called to live out the example of Christ in seeking not to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:25-28; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:10)

Tis also means that I will love my brothers and sisters in the church and I will love those who do not yet know Christ. (1 Corinthians 13) I will love my enemies and pray for those who despitefully use me. (Matthew 5:43-48)

When injured by another member, or when I injure another member I will not disengage from the church or bear a grudge or sow dissension. Rather, in obedience to the clear command of Jesus Christ I will seek reconciliation. (Matthew 5:21-26; Matthew 6:14-15)

I will strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being… Tis means I will respect all human life and be an advocate for the sanctity of life as God’s gift. I will recognize that all women and men are created in the image of God and I will treat them in this manner. (Genesis 1:27; Revelation 7:9) I will extend a loving welcome to those who do not know Christ, love him, or live for him when they attend our worship services and other functions.

Tis means that I will not gossip and will not allow others to bring gossip to me. (Ephesians 4:29-32)

I will reverently and gladly receive the nurture, teaching, and discipline of those ministers of the Church charged with the care of my soul… Tis means that I will respect and support the leadership of my bishop, priest, and other clergy and lay leaders given responsibility to lead. (1 Tessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 13:17)

Tis means that I will be teachable. In other words, I will be willing to receive instruction in the Scriptures and the application of sound doctrine to my life by way of those ministers trained in the Word of God and ordained to teach it. I will seek to hold to those teachings that conform to the witness of Scripture and the apostolic tradition of the Church. I will not entertain or seek to spread doctrines that do not have the warrant of Scripture and the apostolic tradition of the Church. (Romans 16:17-18; 2 Tessalonians 2:15, 3:6; 1 Timothy 6:3-5, 4:16; 2 Timothy 4:3-5; Titus 2:1; 2 John 7-11)

Tis means that I will submit to the correction and admonition of my priest and other clergy appointed to serve within our church when I fall into sin or engage in activities harmful to the life and unity of the Church. (Matthew 18:15-17; John 20:21-23; Galatians 6:1-2; Hebrews 13:17)

I will support Hope Church with my prayers, my presence, my gifts, my fnances, and my service… Tis means that I will be loyal to and support this mission as my home church.

Tis also means that I will pray for my church, my fellow members and my leaders. It also means that I will be diligent and consistent in attending upon the public worship of God at Hope Church unless prevented by illness or necessary travel. Regular attendance at the worship of God means that the worship of God on the Lord’s Day is a sacred obligation of every Christian and takes precedence over all other voluntary activities. (Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:24-25) Tis means that I will give sacrifcially to God through Hope Church with the tithe as the basic standard of giving. (2 Corinthians 9:6-11) It also means that I will seek to identify and use the spiritual gifts God has given to me for the purpose of building up the Church and expanding his Kingdom. (Romans 12:3-13; 1 Corinthians 12)

Finally this means that I am not a spectator or a consumer, but I am actively engaged in serving God through Hope Church.