Comments on: Membership requirements http://teamrcia.com/2009/06/20/membership-requirements/ Make a real difference in the lives of people seeking faith Mon, 21 May 2012 03:23:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Nick http://teamrcia.com/2009/06/20/membership-requirements/comment-page-1/#comment-424 Nick Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:17:21 +0000 http://teamrcia.com/?p=2069#comment-424 Hi Joyce, thanks for chiming in. It wasn't so much me, as it was the Concord Pastor who was suggesting a bumped up level of engagement. I do mostly agree with him, however. If I were going to suggest for areas of engagement to list in the bulletin or the Web site, I think I'd base them on RCIA 75: word, community, worship, and service. Hi Joyce, thanks for chiming in. It wasn’t so much me, as it was the Concord Pastor who was suggesting a bumped up level of engagement. I do mostly agree with him, however. If I were going to suggest for areas of engagement to list in the bulletin or the Web site, I think I’d base them on RCIA 75: word, community, worship, and service.

]]> By: Joyce Donahue http://teamrcia.com/2009/06/20/membership-requirements/comment-page-1/#comment-423 Joyce Donahue Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:47:57 +0000 http://teamrcia.com/?p=2069#comment-423 I agree that the main requirement is certainly to believe in Christ, but research (by the Gallup organization) has shown that only when people know what is expected of them do they become fully "engaged" in their church - actively living the faith and participating in the life of the community. What Nick suggests is exactly what the Engaged Church people recommend. Being an "engaged" Catholic is more than just "being." It is "doing" as well as high ownership. Take a look at the book "Growing an Engaged Church" by Albert L. Winseman for more on this. http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Engaged-Church-Doing-Start/dp/1595620141 I agree that the main requirement is certainly to believe in Christ, but research (by the Gallup organization) has shown that only when people know what is expected of them do they become fully “engaged” in their church – actively living the faith and participating in the life of the community. What Nick suggests is exactly what the Engaged Church people recommend. Being an “engaged” Catholic is more than just “being.” It is “doing” as well as high ownership. Take a look at the book “Growing an Engaged Church” by Albert L. Winseman for more on this.

http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Engaged-Church-Doing-Start/dp/1595620141

]]> By: Charles Hodges http://teamrcia.com/2009/06/20/membership-requirements/comment-page-1/#comment-422 Charles Hodges Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:33:12 +0000 http://teamrcia.com/?p=2069#comment-422 The only requirement for "church membership" is to believe into Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is unfortunate that we still look at "church membership" in the same way we view membership in the local "country club". Tragic! RCIA is not a ritual for joining or membership into the Catholic Church. It is a process of conversion and metabolic change that never ends, but has its beginning in RCIA. One does not "join" the church. They receive it as they receive Christ. The only requirement for “church membership” is to believe into Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is unfortunate that we still look at “church membership” in the same way we view membership in the local “country club”. Tragic!

RCIA is not a ritual for joining or membership into the Catholic Church. It is a process of conversion and metabolic change that never ends, but has its beginning in RCIA.

One does not “join” the church. They receive it as they receive Christ.

]]> By: Marion Eagen http://teamrcia.com/2009/06/20/membership-requirements/comment-page-1/#comment-421 Marion Eagen Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:17:57 +0000 http://teamrcia.com/?p=2069#comment-421 No. I cannot see such a message posted on our parish bulletin. "All are welcome" is all we have to say and allow Word and Sacrament to take the person from there. If the individual is there with a truly open heart and mind, excellent celebration and preaching should take him or her to the next level and beyond - which is to say that those who plan and prepare for liturgical celebration have a major responsibility for doing it right. Who knows, though? Scripture, sacrament, and Holy Spirit alone can probably do it all in spite of the worst efforts of the laziest among us. No. I cannot see such a message posted on our parish bulletin. “All are welcome” is all we have to say and allow Word and Sacrament to take the person from there. If the individual is there with a truly open heart and mind, excellent celebration and preaching should take him or her to the next level and beyond – which is to say that those who plan and prepare for liturgical celebration have a major responsibility for doing it right. Who knows, though? Scripture, sacrament, and Holy Spirit alone can probably do it all in spite of the worst efforts of the laziest among us.

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