  
  Want to know how — not why — to become a Member  of St. John’s Episcopal church in Aptos, CA?
  Want to know how — not why — to become a Member  of St. John’s Episcopal church in Aptos, CA?There’s 4  “must do” requirements to become a Member of the body of Christ located at  St. John’s.
Perhaps you need help meeting those requirements?  If so,  we ‘ll help you meet  those  requirements.
[Please note:  This was written tongue-in-cheek to point to some important,  underlying issues.  One  issue: Is  100% of  St. John’s  church vestry  — the people that make the legal decisions for the church  — are they  listed as Communicants on  the church books?  Yes or No?  If the answer is No, then  are the decisions made by St. John’s  vestry legal and binding?  Ask a lawyer! Â
Another issue:  People serve in many leadership capacities  at St. John’s.  How many of  these ‘ministers’ — that’s ‘all of  us’ per the back cover of the weekly service bulletin  — listed as Communicants?  If not,  then who is entitled to  vote in the upcoming election in Dec. 2017? Â
The NEW  Bylaws state  that you have to be a Member for six months in order to vote.  Per the new rules, only persons listed as Communicants can vote in the next election in Dec. 2017.  Oh dear!  What to do?  Â
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 It is easy to find out who  is a Communicant at St. John’s.   Look in the Index of the (green)  book for Communicants.  It’s kept in the church office.Â
 You can readily  check the  Index of the book for Communicants  and  see whether you are listed.   The church is very supportive behind the scene to assist  all people to update their  church records.]  Â
So — What are those “must do” Â requirements for basic Membership at St. John’s?
  
#1:  Baptism.  You must be baptized.  Were you baptized — but  you don’t have a copy of  the record?   We’ll help you track down your baptismal record.  Where ever it happened  and when ever.
#1:  Baptism.  You must be baptized.  Were you baptized — but  you don’t have a copy of  the record?   We’ll help you track down your baptismal record.  Where ever it happened  and when ever.2). There must be a record of  your baptism listed  in  St. John’s church records. Perhaps you know that  you were baptized but never submitted the record to St. John’s Episcopal church in Aptos, CA?  .  We will help you.   We will submit the record of your baptism  to the church authorities  — and we will  take a  photo/ video  of the page so that  you know that it’s been accurately recorded in the church records.
  
3). You must take communion (wafer and wine)  3 times during  the current year. Unless physically indisposed.  Discretely,  we  will  photograph/ video you receiving communion  3 times.  By recording it,  no one, i.e.,  such as the Executive Committee of St. John’s,  can  kill your membership application by inuendo —  questioning  whether you  actually  received communion  3 times this last year.  Yes, it sounds odd but you never know who believes what about whom  these days.   To be on the safe side, we suggest that you wear  different clothes when you are photographed during communion.
3). You must take communion (wafer and wine)  3 times during  the current year. Unless physically indisposed.  Discretely,  we  will  photograph/ video you receiving communion  3 times.  By recording it,  no one, i.e.,  such as the Executive Committee of St. John’s,  can  kill your membership application by inuendo —  questioning  whether you  actually  received communion  3 times this last year.  Yes, it sounds odd but you never know who believes what about whom  these days.   To be on the safe side, we suggest that you wear  different clothes when you are photographed during communion.4). Participate in life of parish. There are a multitude of ways  that you can participate.  What’s important is that there is an actual record of how you participated.  A record that you can submit to the church when you apply for Membership.
 
 Perhaps you open the church doors for services ?     Perhaps you have  carpentry skills?  Or perhaps  you do child care and can help out in the nursery?  Maybe you work in a school cafeteria and can make cookies for a bake sale?
 Perhaps you open the church doors for services ?     Perhaps you have  carpentry skills?  Or perhaps  you do child care and can help out in the nursery?  Maybe you work in a school cafeteria and can make cookies for a bake sale?However you contribute, we will photograph/ video your contributions  to the life of the parish.  And we will submit those records to St. John’s as part of your application to be a Member at St. John’s Episcopal in Aptos, CA.
Cost of this service? Â Absolutely free. Â Send requests for assistance to DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
To become a Member of St. John’s episcopal church  you must meet the above listed  4 requirements.
 There are other levels of Membership which you can achieve.
To become a Voting Member you must meed 6 additional requirements including the laying on of hands by Bishop Mary.
And, should you want to run for the church board (Vestry) you must meet one more requirement  — a donation of money to either the Building Fund or the Undesignated fund. And that donation of money must be recorded in the financial books of the church.
Summary:  Are you thinking of serving on the church board?  This is what you must do:  Meet  the  4  requirements (to be a Member) + 6 additional requirements including the laying on of hands by Bishop Mary  (to be a Voting Member) + 1 Financial Requirement of money to one of two funds (to serve on the Church board).
If you want help with the first 4 steps  — so you are a Member  of the Body of Christ at St. John’s Episcopal in Aptos — help is available.  Â
More “ado’ to do
And only a few months away until 2017 elections for church board vestry.
A mature public commitment (adult baptism or confirmation or received) is required to be a Voting Member of St. John’s episcopal in Aptos
How many of the current Vestry have made a mature public commitment?
How many of the people in the pews –those who typically vote — have made a mature public commitment?
Perhaps Bishop Mary needs to make a visitation to St. John’s and receive or confirm lots of people before the next election?
Continuing with Shakespeare: this much to ado about nothing.
Wanna be a voting member of St. John’s and a candidate for vestry (governing board)? 1. Be baptised, and let the office know,
2. take communion during services three times a year, and
3. once a year, take a penny, write your name on a piece of paper, wrap the paper around the penny, and put in the collection plate.
The contrived complexity of the original post is beyond my comprehension, but being part of St. John’s is as easy as 1-2-3.
From Shakespeare: Iago: Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something, nothing; ‘Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed. Othello Act 3, scene 3, 155–161 Mother Tracy of St. John’s wrote concerning financial giving: “because we would not want to think someone would intentionally lie about giving money to the church in order to qualify for the Vestry, it… Read more »