A church should expect that its members will:
- Attend services regularly. Hebrews 10:25 commands Christians not to forsake assembling together. Attending services regularly is one of the basic commitments of membership and one of the basic ways that a church member can grow in the faith, get to know other Christians, and allow the church leaders to shepherd and watch over his life.
- Attend communion particularly. Members should strive to be present when Christ’s death is commemorated and the church’s unity is displayed in communion. Attend confession and make sure you approach the altar with a clear conscience.
- Pray regularly. Prayer is a discussion with God and all of us need to constantly communicate with our Lord and Savior in order that we may live the life He is calling us to.
- Give regularly. The apostle Paul writes, “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches” (Gal. 6:6). Your gifts come from God and He expects you to help and support His church.
- Build relationships with other members. Being a member in a local church is like being a hand or an eye (1 Cor. 12:21). You can’t function without all the other parts of the body. Just as a body functions when each part does its job and works together with all the other members, a local church is built up into maturity in Christ as the members minister in an intimately interrelated way (Eph. 4:15-16, 1 Cor. 12:12-26). So a church should expect that its members will build relationships with other members.
- Serve as God gives opportunity. God has given spiritual gifts to every member of the body of Christ so that everyone would use his or her gifts to build up the entire body (1 Cor. 12:7). A church should expect that all of its members will serve the whole church as God enables. Please use your talents and gifts to build God’s church here at St. Peter the Apostle.