Dear Members of Park Street Church,
Grace and peace be with you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the blessings God has poured out on our community and worship this fall. Reflecting on the Ten Commandments together on Sunday mornings has been particularly enriching, guiding us to live as God’s children.
As we approach the end of 2024, it is time for our annual membership reaffirmation. This process is a vital opportunity for each of us to reflect on the promises we’ve made to God and to one another as part of the Park Street Church family. It also assists our Membership Committee in keeping our records current and accurate.
Membership at Park Street Church signifies a continued commitment to the foundational truths of Scripture, as articulated in our Confession of Faith and Covenant of Faith and Government. It also entails a commitment to our fellow members within this local body of believers.
By reaffirming your membership, you are confirming that you:
- Maintain your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
- Adhere to the personal confession of faith (parkstreet.org/about-us/beliefs) adopted by Park Street Church.
- Uphold the church’s Covenant of Faith and Government (parkstreet.org/about-us/bylaws).
- Regularly attend worship services in person at Park Street Church, unless prevented by health concerns, temporary relocation, or similar unavoidable circumstances. (If you are unable to attend regularly in person but wish to maintain active membership, please provide a brief explanation in the reaffirmation form.)
If these commitments resonate with you, we warmly encourage you to reaffirm your membership and rededicate yourself to our shared life in Christ. Our desire is to collectively grow in spiritual maturity, reflecting more fully the body of Christ in our community.
We understand that after a challenging period for our congregation, this decision may require thoughtful consideration for some. These commitments are not abstract ideas, but rather pledges to a real, imperfect community of fellow believers. The fourth point clarifies that active membership is typically expressed through regular participation in our communal worship. We recognize that for various reasons, some members may no longer be able to uphold this commitment. If you are unable to reaffirm your membership, you can use the form to indicate withdrawal or transfer of membership.* Should you wish to discuss this decision with a minister or elder, we are available to offer support and guidance.
As you contemplate reaffirming your commitment, we invite you to prayerfully consider the vows made to the Lord and to this community, vows that this community also made to you. These commitments, dating back to the very beginnings of Park Street Church, were part of your welcome into our fellowship.
- Minister: In the presence of God and this congregation, do you acknowledge your faith in the Triune God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? Do you pledge yourself in a covenant of love and obedience to allow Christ to control your life, to commune with him in prayer, to worship him faithfully in his sanctuary, and to support the work of the church so that the Gospel may be known throughout Boston and the world?
- New Members: I do.
- Minister: Do you, the members of this church, affectionately receive these candidates into this communion of believers? Do you welcome them to join you in all the blessings of the Gospel, and on your part, engage to watch over them, bear their burdens, and seek their edification, as long as they shall continue among us? Do you covenant to hold their peace and welfare dear to you, and to help them, as the Lord may enable you, by your sympathy, Godly counsel, practical acts of love, and your prayers?
- Existing Members: We do.
Our prayer for Park Street Church and all churches of Christ in Boston is that God, the source of endurance and encouragement, will grant us unity and harmony in Christ Jesus. Together, with one voice, may we glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are still growing and being shaped, but we trust in the Father’s work through the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of His Son.
Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel and your love for God and for Park Street Church.
Sincerely,
Andrew Ziegler
Membership Committee Chair
