Ellington Congregational Church welcomes people into membership in the Spring and Fall. We ask that those interested in membership attend a two-session "Exploring Church Membership" to learn about the history of our denomination and the history of Ellington Congregational Church. Joining Ellington Congregational Church means that we agree to walk together, discerning how God is leading us to live our faith into the world. New members will be received into our fellowship during worship services in November and June. By joining in a covenant together, we are different than many churches who ask that their members join by agreeing to a creed or set of doctrines. Therefore, membership at Ellington Congregational Church means we believe Christ commanded us first to love one another, and not necessarily always agree with one other. This means we honor diversity of thought and opinion, and truly welcome everyone into our midst. Join us and see!
In the United Church of Christ infant baptism is commonly practiced and symbolizes the church's belief that God loves the child and is at work in the child's life. Parents and sponsors promise to see that the child experiences life in the church and to insure that the child has an opportunity when older to receive instruction in the Christian faith and through confirmation to make his or her own decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of the Church. The culmination of confirmation is the acknowledgement by the person that God has called her or him to be a Christian and member of the Church, and the same acknowledgement by the congregation and their acceptance of the person into membership. There is usually a span of 12 to 14 years between an infant's baptism and the formal welcome into membership in the chruch at confirmation. For the person not baptized as an infant, baptism and membership occur simultaneously. That person, having felt the call of God to be a Christian and church member and having undergone instruciton in the meaning of church membership, professes his or her faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in the baptism and is received into membership.
Membership in a ocal church carries with it certain responsibilities. For a variety of reasons, there are occasions when people are unable or choose not to fulfill their membership responsibilities. Often this results in people being dropped from the membership roles of a local church. Later many of these people seek to renew their membership in a church. The church receives these people upon a reafffirmation or reprofession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Membership in the Church Universal is always made real and concrete through membership in a specific local church. When members move or seek to change the place of their local church membership, they transfer membership. The usual procedure is for the church where membership has been held to send a letter to the chruch where the person plans to affiliate certifying that the person is a member in good standing and releasing that person for membership in the new congregation.