Become a Member of St. Paul Lutheran

There's going to a church, and then there's being part of a congregation. We are always happy to have visitors join us for worship. We also invite those who are looking for a congregation that they can call home to consider joining St. Paul Lutheran as members.

Being a member of a congregation comes with both benefits and responsibilities. God has expectations of all of his children; that we live in peace with all, humbly serve our neighbor, uplift and encourage each other, and above all that we love one another. As members of the congregation, it is our goal and expectation for ourselves to do all these things for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Members of St. Paul help carry out our joint mission, each using their unique gifts from God. Members use God's Word to encourage and strengthen one another in our lives of faith. We also help one another to recognize sin in our lives and to resist temptation. In our worship we come together to proclaim God's Word and to celebrate our unity of faith and confession through singing, prayer, preaching, and sacrament.

If you are interested in becoming a member of St. Paul, or even if you're just curious about what this congregation is all about, please speak with one of our pastors. They'll be happy to answer your questions. In most cases, the process of becoming a member will be like the following two scenarios.

Coming from another Christian denomination, a different religion, or no religious affiliation.

If this describes you, our pastors will take you through a Bible Information Class, which will cover a broad range of Bible teachings. It may be that you find many teachings you already agree with, others your prior church taught differently, or ones you had never considered or heard of before. This class isn't a thorough study of every nuance of Scripture—that level of study takes a lifetime. Rather, it will get you started and established on the foundation of the gospel so that you can continue to grow in faith through worship, Bible study, and personal devotions. Even if you end up deciding not to join our congregation, we'll be happy to have had the opportunity to study God's Word with you.

Coming from another WELS or ELS church.

If you would like to transfer your membership to St. Paul from another congregation in our fellowship, simply let both the pastor of your current congregation and one of the pastors at St. Paul know. If it's been a while since your confirmation days, consider signing up for a BIC. It would be a wonderful opportunity to review the basic truths of God's Word while getting to know your new pastors and maybe even some new friends.