Taking Attendance

Recently there has been a new facet in our worship service. I now take attendance. I write down all the members present at each service. This is to make contact tracing, if it would be needed, easier to do. Actually taking attendance in church is not new. I can remember as a child one of my parents filling out a pew card each Sunday when we attended. This was to record who was there, who received communion on those days it was served, the average attendance, and  allowed a place to write concerns –  prayer and otherwise. Each Monday the church secretary would gather those cards, alphabetize them and then record the attendance in the parish registry. This practice has largely been abandoned by churches. The reason behind using these cards was to help the pastor minister to the parish guiding them to live their lives as Jesus desired. Unfortunately, this attendance information was sometimes used in divisive ways. After the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust was adopted by the church some congregations wishing to leave the ELCA used the attendance records to exclude members from voting on the issue. Instead of using this information for healing and trust it was used to divide and caused great hurt.

So what is membership? Membership in God’s church begins at baptism and never ends. There is no entrance fee, no yearly dues, no classes you have to take, no steps you are required to follow. All that was done for you by Jesus. Once baptized you are always a member.* I suppose that is why there are so many Christians and empty pews in the world. Many who have become members have allowed the world to fill their lives with false hopes, dreams, and desires. Luther reminds us that, while we do not need to do anything for membership, once we know the gift we have received we will desire to return the gift. In Jesus’ words we will, “Pick up our cross and follow him.” Membership is a response to the gift of salvation. Knowing that it is God’s love that saved us we, who are members because of Jesus’ sacrifice, work to share that love with others. Live as members of God’s church sharing all that God has given you – yourselves, your time, and your possessions.**

peace,

Pastor John

*Luther did claim that there may be members of the church who have not been baptized since we are made members by what Jesus did –  justified by faith and not by works. But, he also said that such a person would seek out baptism because he was saved.

**Lutheran Book of Worship prayer #239.