Albert Postma

Don, 

Thanks for you additional experience & insights! This is very helpful. Moving back to the US after being in Canada wasn't part of the story I thought to address! And it sounds like it has a set of its own complications.

So thanks a ton for reminding us all that it's not just the entrance but also the return/exit that any pastor exploring a call to Canada should be mindful of.

-Al

Thanks for your comments. From your comments and my research, it does look like there aren't really membership papers as there are just church records. 

Perhaps, then, what would be best would be to simply supply the person with a letter that tells them that their membership has been taken off the church records. Hopefully a letter like that does not come as a surprise, but instead as a response to someone's request that their membership be terminated.

By the way, I do think that membership is an important thing for the church today, but I wouldn't call it a "club" model. It's for the same reason that I think actually getting legally married is important today, rather than just two "committed" people living together. It's not about being a club. It is about being committed. Perhaps membership is more important now than it was before. If for no other reason than it pushes actual committment in a non-committal age.

I see that this last point has shown up elsewhere on the network. Perhaps it would be good to have a further discussion about it.