A not-so-hypothetical question: you have snow birds who have been attending your congregation for a couple of years. They've resisted membership because they maintain membership in their "southern" church. Now they are wondering if they can become dual members (like dual citizenship?) at both churches. Their hearts are in the right place - they want to have committed relationships with the congregation that they are in. They know that membership does not provide them with much in terms of benefits, since we will care for them regardless. They simply want to formalize the relationship. So, what do you do?
Comments
Good Question. This is yet another example of how our lifestyle in North America was never contemplated by the framers of the church order. I appreciate that they wish to have committed relationships and that this is formalized. I am less certain about what this means for them. What responsibilities do they wish to embrace? What connection do they have when they are "down south"? What expectations do they have of the church and the church of them? Does their lifestyle effect the quality and meaningfulness of their realtionship to the congregation?
I have often found that those who are year round members find the quality of the relationship with part-time members dimishing over time. While they appreciate the desire, after a while distance and limited communication leaves the "part time" members out of the loop.
Membership does require certain commitments to the life of the congregation. The congregation has a right to know what to expect from these part time members. I would suggest that rather than have dual membership, that perhaps a form of assoicate membership that explicitly names the the kind of commitment these people are making would be appropriate.
Having said this, I personally, have little problem in "dual membership" in principle. I would want these memberships to be taken very seriously. If you go with this concept, I would want to make clear what your expectations of them are.
Neil
Do church commitments go both ways. Like we are responsible to our fellow members and they to us?
There's another aspect to doal membership: their financial contributions.
Our church has several snowbirds who spend three to six months in the south. They have signed up for 'automatic debit' for their weekly/monthly donations so that their financial commitment to their 'home' church continues.
But they also value the importance of their southern church home and they support that church financially ... knowing full well that their donations to a Florida church do not qualify as tax receipts for their Canadian income tax.
For them, their loyalty still lies with their 'home' church so dual membership hasn't been an issue.
Great comments and perspectives from everyone. With online networking sites, church websites expansion and emails technology allows us to keep in touch with north-south, or even east west members, thus knowing how they are doing, how their health fairs and letting members know we care.
I wish that were true in the church I attend.
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