Membership is an expression of commitment to Jesus Christ and to the purpose of making Ebenezer "a place where Jesus Christ changes lives as we worship, grow and serve together".

The first step to becoming a member is to attend one of our Coffee With The Pastors - Membership Orientation programs.

At the Coffee with the Pastors, you will get the opportunity to meet and visit with the Pastors and some of the church staff while enjoying coffee/tea and desserts at a small reception. After the reception, we convene in an informal classroom setting and share information about Ebenezer Church and the commitments of Ebenezer membership. Attendance at a Coffee with the Pastors program does not commit you to membership, but attendance is required if you wish to become a member.

Yes, we provide Kids Care. Please indicate the need for Kids Care when registering

Pre-registration for a Coffee With The Pastors program is requested. This gives us an idea of how many people will be attending and how many children will require childcare. You may pre-register at the Connection Desk in the Gathering Room on Sunday mornings, through e-Link, or by calling the church office, 540.659.1349.

We hold the Coffee with the Pastors programs in the Ministry Center. There will be signs directing you and we will have volunteers from the Membership Ministry available to assist you as required.

If you require childcare, your first step would be to go to the main church building to drop off the children in room 23. You can then proceed to the Ministry Center via the back door. Your next stop of the evening should be at our check-in table where you will be asked to sign-in, receive a name tag, and provide a completed Family Household Roll form. This form asks for information about you and your family and helps us get to know you better. For those who pre-registered, you should have received a Family Household Roll form in the mail. If so, please bring the completed form with you. If you do not receive one of these forms, or do not bring it with you, we will give you a blank form to complete when you check-on.

As part of the check-in process, you will be given a packet of literature that contains information about Ebenezer church and the commitments of membership.

After check-in, you will be asked to have your picture taken. This is another aid in helping us get to know you better. You will then be invited to go into the reception area, have some refreshments, and mingle with the Pastors, some of the Ebenezer staff, and Membership team volunteers. After the reception, you will be invited to the orientation class.

No, another requirement of membership is for you to make a commitment to Jesus Christ and to our church. We ask that you prayerfully consider these commitments and that you only become a member at Ebenezer if and when you are ready to make and meet these commitments.

The commitments to Jesus Christ are declarations that you make to God and the church assembly. Those declarations are:

• That Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.
• That you desire to live a Godly and Holy life.
• That you will be God's witness wherever you might be or wherever life takes you.
• That you will support Ebenezer with your prayers, presence, gifts, and service.

The commitments to Ebenezer Church that we ask you to make are:

• Attend worship services every week unless you are sick or out of town.
• Become involved in a grow environment outside of worship service.
• Serve in a ministry more than once a year.
• Grow toward the tithe, in proportion to your income.

Information on the declarations and commitments of Ebenezer membership are explained in detail at our Coffee with the Pastors - Membership Orientation programs. If you require additional information after the Coffee with the Pastors, you are encouraged to call the church office and setup an appointment with one of the Pastors or the Director of Adult Ministries.

Immediately following Coffee with the Pastors you will be able to make the declarations of membership vows. This will be administered by one of the pastors in a joining ceremony. If you prefer to declare your membership vows during one of our worship services, please let us know.

Yes, if you have never been baptized, you must be baptized to become a member. You may do this at the same time you take your membership vows, or prior to that ceremony.

If you were baptized in another church as either an adult or child, it is not necessary to be baptized at Ebenezer before becoming a member. Our church recognizes baptisms from other churches and denominations. If it is your desire, however, to reaffirm your faith at Ebenezer through baptism, we would be happy to help schedule this for you.

Once a year we offer confirmation training for children in grades 9-12. The purpose of confirmation training is to allow young people to explore the Christian faith in depth and make a personal decision about Jesus Christ and church membership. If your child is under 18 and has been through confirmation training, they may become members at the same time as you. Children 18 and over must attend a Coffee with the Pastors - Membership Orientation prior to becoming a member.

Yes, we ask that you complete a Membership Commitment form and our Ways to Grow and Serve form.

The Membership Commitment form tells us that you are aware of and are ready to meet the membership declarations and commitments of Ebenezer. The form also tells us the date and time when you would like to take your membership vows and tells us whether or not you need to be baptized. We use this form when completing many of the administrative tasks required to ensure your membership process is handled as smoothly as possible.

The Ways to Grow and Serve form enables you to identify areas in which you would like to grow or are already a part of (i.e. small group, Sunday school class, bible study) as well as areas in which you may wish to serve.

Yes, Ebenezer most definitely helps you meet the commitments of membership. Ebenezer has numerous programs designed to help you grow stronger and deeper in your faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Included are:

• Quality worship services and sermons.
• Opportunities to grow in your faith through our small groups, Bible studies, Sunday school, and adult classes.
• Service opportunities where you will be able to use your Spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and life experiences.
• Care, prayers, and help when you or a family member experiences illnesses and other difficulties.
• Outreach and annual financial giving statements.

More details are provided at Coffee With the Pastors or by contacting the Director of Adult Ministries.

No, you are encouraged to get connected in one of the many grow and serve opportunities at Ebenezer whether becoming a member or not. We do, however, require our leaders to be church members.