MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

    In today's world, there exist many different organizations that people join for varied reasons: recreation, friendship, or material advancement. Depending on the benefit that people get from membership in such organizations, people are more or less active in these organizations. Inactive or marginally active members normally have very little use for their organization and little by little lose their place within them.

    Membership in the Church is similar. However, the church never neglects one's membership nor neglects a person in difficult situations because of its saving mission in the world.

    Receiving the Holy Mystery of Baptism, a person, regardless of age becomes a member of Christ and of His Holy Church. One's membership involves regular attendance at divine services, receiving the holy mysteries of Confession and Communion. One, in conjunction with these responsibilities must also engage oneself in living according to the great commandments of our Lord. Contrary to some other organizations, where members may receive financial benefit, members of the Church receive divine blessings and the gift of internal joy which is foretaste of the eternal Kingdom that comes after this turbulent and difficult life.

    In today's modern materialistic society, a large portion of the members of the Church, due to their overindulgence in worry about their temporal wealth, neglect their spiritual worth and with it their membership in the Church. During this time, the Church, tirelessly invites and anxiously awaits her children's liberation from the bondage of materialism and come to her calm harbor.

    In order to pursue her endeavors more efficiently in America, the Church has conceived a formal membership, in which all faithful members of the Body and Blood of Christ, in addition to receiving the Holy Sacraments, may actively participate in the organization and progress of their parish.

    Article 27 of the Church constitution regarding membership in the Church states the following: Members in good standing of a Church-School Congregation are those persons who regularly fulfill their spiritual and material obligations to the Church and Congregation and who with their exemplary Christian life fulfill also other conditions prescribed for the members of Church-School congregations. Therefore, in order for a person to be considered a member in good standing of a Church-School Congregation, it is expected that he or she, in addition to the fulfillment of financial obligations to the congregation, also fulfill the following conditions:
a) Is a member in good standing of the parish;
b) Is at least 18 years old;
c) Exemplary life and behavior, according to the moral teaching of the Holy Orthodox Church;
d) Is ready at all times to defend the interest of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Orthodoxy in general.
e) Enjoys the good reputation of a pious Christian and good citizen and fruitful member of the community in which he resides;
f) Regularly participates in the worship of the Church;
g) Regularly receives the Holy Sacraments of Confession and Communion in his parish church and performs other Christian duties prescribed by the Church;
h) Is obedient to the rules of the by-laws of the Church-School Congregation and the decisions of the higher bodies and organs of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

    Our Church-School Congregation in New York is one of the most populous parishes in the Eastern United States, but unfortunately, attendance at divine services and the number of formal members is quite low. Your priest and the Executive Board of the Church encourage you to come more frequently and to help your church, for she depends exclusively upon the donations of her faithful.

    The Church Executive Board is the body of the church that coordinates and takes care of church material affairs. Proceeds with the decisions of the Congregational Assembly and the decisions of other Church authorities and always stand for the interest of the Church. The Church Board consists of President, two vice Presidents, secretary, treasurer and two or more members at large which depends on the number of formal members of the parish. To be a member of the Board it is an honor, trust and great responsibility in front of God and the people. Knowing this the member of the Board can be a person devoted to the Church who regularly attends divine services receive Sacraments, live exemplary Christian life and adhere all other rules and regulations prescribed by the Constitution of the Church.

    An annual membership fee in St. Sava’s Cathedral, the parish of New York City is $100.- for persons over 18 years of age. Retired members and students fee is $50.-.

    Knowing this dear brothers and sisters we are kindly asking you to enroll yourself and your family into the family of St. Sava in New York City. The attached form should be filled out and submitted to the Church office along with the fee.

Spiritual father Rev. D. Majstorovic