Joining St. Mary's
We often get asked how I do I “join” St. Mary’s? The short answer is come to St. Mary’s! We welcome anyone and everyone to join us for worship on Sunday mornings or at any of our church activities. We believe that first and foremost, membership in the Church means being part of a community that is drawn ever more deeply into relationship with God and our neighbor through Jesus Christ.”
However, for those who are interested in making a formal commitment of membership to the Episcopal Church and St. Mary’s, below you will find the most common questions and a brief summary of how the Episcopal Church defines the terms of membership. If you still have questions after reading this page, please feel free to call the church office. We would be happy to talk to you more about who we are and what we believe.
Who is a Christian?
A Christian is any person who has been baptized in the Episcopal Church or any other Christian church.
What is Baptism?
The sacrament of Baptism is the initiation rite into the Christian Church. To be Baptized, as an infant, child or adult is to become a full member of the Church with access to the sacraments.
Who may receive Communion?
At St. Mary’s, and throughout the Episcopal Church, any baptized Christian, regardless of age or denomination, is welcome to receive Communion
Who is a member of The Episcopal Church?
A person is a member of the Episcopal Church if they have been baptized, whether in an Episcopal church or another Christian church, and the baptism has been recorded in the records of a particular Episcopal parish. A person may also become a member of the Episcopal Church if they are Confirmed or Received by a bishop.
What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a sacrament of the Church. It is an informed profession of the faith that may be made by teenagers or adults. To be Confirmed is to outwardly proclaim your choice of the Episcopal faith and tradition. It involves the laying on of hands upon the head of the individual Confirmand by the bishop.
What does it mean to be "Received" into the Episcopal Church?
If you have been Confirmed in another liturgical tradition (such as Roman Catholic or Lutheran) you are Received into the Church rather than Confirmed. A person is Received into the Episcopal Church by a bishop.
Why officially join the Episcopal Church?
We believe that God speaks to people in a variety of ways. For Episcopalians, this way of relating to the blessed balance of’ scripture, tradition, and reason. The Episcopal Church is a biblical, sacramental, and liturgical denomination of Christianity that respects the ancient nature of the church yet allows room for a prayerful discussion of theology.
What is a Letter of Transfer?
If you are a member of another Episcopal parish and would like to transfer your membership to St. Mary’s, please contact the parish office to let us know. We have a special form we send to your former parish that “transfers” your membership to St. Mary’s.
Who is a member of the Episcopal Parish of St. Mary's Green Cove Springs, Florida?
An “official” member of St. Mary’s is a baptized person who requests to be placed on the membership rolls of this parish and attends worship, and supports the ministry of the church. If you are Baptized, Confirmed, or Received at St. Mary’s, you are a member.
What if I don't want to join the Episcopal Church or St. Mary's?
That’s fine. We are happy you are here! We consider our parish family to be a place where although we are not uniformed in every aspect of our lives and situations we are unified in love for each other and love for Jesus. While we encourage people to seriously consider official membership, it is not a requirement to partake in the life of the community. According to the canons (governing laws) of the Episcopal Church the only thing “non-members” may not do at the parish level is serve on the Vestry, vote at the annual parish meeting, and serve as a chalice bearer.
Is the Parish Directory an official roster of parish members?
No. The Parish Directory is an unofficial list of people who attend St. Mary’s on a regular basis. It is never fully complete or up-to-date since people join the community, move, or leave the parish at various times for a variety of reasons. The directory is published quarterly and updated regularly. If you would like to be included or amend your entry, please contact the parish office.
What about pledging?
Giving money is not a requirement for membership at St. Mary’s. We firmly believe that stewardship of our financial resources is an integral part of being a Christian and we rely on the generosity of our community to support our common ministry and pay our bills. Episcopal Churches do not receive financial assistance from the Diocese or the National Church. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: we pay a yearly apportionment to the Diocese of Florida to support the mission and ministry of the larger church.
What is expected of members of St. Mary's?
We expect members of this parish community to grow, learn and lead a life of faith. We live this out by sharing the joy of corporate worship as regularly as possible; recognizing that God is the source of all that we are and all that we do; being tolerant of one another and respecting the dignity of every human being; understanding that we don’t have all the answers about faith but we’re always seeking to learn from God and one another; offering of ourselves to the church through our talents, time, and financial resources; helping to spread the message of Christ’s love and light with God’s help.
