How do I become a member?
There are
lots of benefits and blessings you'll enjoy as a member
of our church community. Most importantly, you will:
•
Find Christians who work and worship together
to accomplish God's purpose. Imagine the flame
that one burning log creates. Now, imagine that same
log joined with several other burning logs. The flame
is bright and the fire is roaring. This analogy describes
what we hope to accomplish together.
Experience
a sense of belonging. We're a community of
believers who truly feel that fellowship and relationships
bring us closer to God.
Feel
like you're "in the game". Every community
needs people with varying backgrounds, talents, and
interests to fulfill its responsibilities. Our church
is the same way -- we need people who want to play on
God's team.
Ready
to join us? Take the next step . Complete an
application for membership and return it to our church
office. If you're presently a member of another Lutheran
church, ask your pastor to send a transfer of your membership
to GVLC. If not, simply let us know you'd like to join.
Also, if you have not been baptized as a Christian,
Pastor Phil will be glad to meet with you and help you
prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
Once we receive
and accept your application, we ask all new members
to attend a LIVE class. This is a
nine-week class (offered 3 times each year) meets for
75 minutes each session, and helps you understand what
GVLC is about as a community of Christians and Lutherans.
Feel free
to contact us at 763.544.2810 or at info@gvlc.net
with further questions.
How do I
get married?
Congratulations
on your engagement! This is an exciting time in your
lives, and undoubtedly a time filled with much joy and
planning. As you anticipate marriage and all the aspects
of planning a wedding, please know that our goal is
to help you launch a successful life together - after
all, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the foundation
for marriage as Christians!
Get started
by contacting our church office at 763.544.2810 to arrange
the date of your wedding ceremony and set an appointment
with Pastor Phil.
When meeting
with Pastor Phil, you'll confirm your wedding date and
time, schedule your wedding rehearsal, and plan the
specifics of your wedding ceremony. Your wedding ceremony
is a service of worship centering your marriage on Jesus
Christ - so we'll work with you to select readings and
music that praise and give glory to Jesus Christ.
During your
planning time with Pastor Phil, you'll also start pre-marriage
pastoral counseling. This counseling helps you explore
your relationship with your fiancée using the
PREPARE Inventory. PREPARE focuses on 13 aspects of
a relationship and provides feedback to couples about
their attitudes concerning their relationship. Pastor
Phil will work with you on reading, assessing, and incorporating
your PREPARE results into your relationship. The counseling
includes an initial meeting, taking the PREPARE Inventory
and then participating in three to four additional one-hour
appointments. The counseling process normally takes
four to six weeks.
Please contact
us at 763.544.2810 or at info@gvlc.net
with further questions.
How do I
plan a baptism?
As a Christian
and parent, nothing is more important than bringing
your child to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Through
this gift and promise, the Holy Spirit works faith in
the heart of each person baptized, making him or her
a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. From that day on,
the disciple lives in the certainty of forgiveness and
eternal life.
Baptism is
only the beginning of a child's relationship with Christ
and the Christian community. Your child will need to
be fed spiritually to stay alive and grow. It is essential
that parents commit themselves to a life of walking
with Christ, so that Christ can grow in your child.
When planning
a baptism, you are encouraged to baptize your child
within a month of their birth. Please call the church
office at 763.544.2810 to schedule a date.
Prior to the
baptism, Pastor Phil will meet with the parents to plan
the specifics of the Baptism service, to share more
information about the significance of Baptism, and to
make any other special arrangements. Because we believe
in fostering community, we include baptisms during our
worship services. If you prefer, you can make special
arrangements with Pastor Phil for another time and/or
place.
As you consider
the details of your child's Baptism, you may want to
consider selecting a Godparent(s)/Sponsor(s) for your
child. Godparents/Sponsors are not commanded in the
Bible, but their role is an old and valuable tradition.
Their role is to be a Christian example and witness
for your child. Because you are asking the Sponsor(s)
to make a significant commitment, you are encouraged
to ask for their commitment in the following areas:
•
Praying regularly for your child.
•
Remembering your child's baptismal birthday each year
with a card, letter, event, etc.
•
Being a model of love, care, and Christ-like kindness
for your child.
Should anything
happen to you as a parent, the sponsor(s) ensures that
your child is brought up in the true knowledge and worship
of God, taught the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and
The Lord's Prayer; as the child grows, he/she will place
in your child's hands the Holy Scriptures, bring them
to God's house for worship, and provide for their instruction
in the Christian faith that they may come to the Sacrament
of Christ's Body and Blood.
Pastor Phil
will gladly answer your questions. Remember, you are
important as a parent because you are leading your child
to Jesus Christ. He will bless you and your child as
you walk together as disciples.
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