Membership at St. Ann’s
Welcome to St. Ann’s Church. You do not have to join the parish in a formal way in order to worship, attend classes, participate in activities, and financially support the ministries of the parish. And, all persons, adults and children, are always welcome to receive Communion (whether members or not).
We invite you to consider becoming a member of St. Ann’s. There are several ways to do this, please read on.
Contact: The Rev. Patricia A. Conley, Rector
If you are an Episcopalian: If you are a member of another Episcopal congregation, or were ever confirmed in an Episcopal Church, you can transfer your membership. Simply, provide our parish office with the name and location of the church and the approximate dates of your membership or, if you were confirmed there, the approximate date of confirmation, and we will send for a letter of transfer, or you may wish to contact your previous parish yourself. (The rector has a directory of all Episcopal Churches, with addresses and telephone numbers.)
If you are from another province of the Anglican Communion: If you are a confirmed Anglican from, for example, the Church of England or the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Episcopal Church in Japan), provide the parish office with your birth date and place, baptismal date and place, and Confirmation date, place and bishop.
If you are a member of another Christian denomination: If you were baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in any Christian denomination, you may become a “baptized member” of St. Ann’s Church. Just provide the parish office with your birth date and place and your baptismal date and place.
If you have not been baptized: Call the parish office or speak with one of the rector to arrange a baptism. Baptisms are done at regularly scheduled services on the feast days specified by the Book of Common Prayer (Baptism of Our Lord, Easter Eve, Pentecost, and All Saints) and also on the Sunday after Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and occasionally on other Sundays or feast days. Anyone baptized at St. Ann’s Church is a “baptized member.”
If you wish to be confirmed or received: The Book of Common Prayer defines Confirmation as “the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop.” Youth Confirmation classes and adult inquirers’ classes are offered periodically. Any baptized adult, and any baptized youth in eighth grade or higher, is eligible. Persons who have been confirmed in another denomination by a bishop in the apostolic succession (most often Roman Catholic or Orthodox) are received by the bishop rather than confirmed. Those who have been confirmed or received are classified as “confirmed communicants.” Speak with the rector if you are interested in confirmation or reception.
Together in Worship & Financial Support: The Book of Common Prayer says that the duty of all Christians is to “follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.” As defined by the Diocese of Chicago and Bylaws of St. Ann’s parish, a voting member of St. Ann’s parish is 16 years of age, be identified in our “records” as a member, and for six months prior to a parish election, be a regular attendant at the parish and a regular contributor to the current expenses of the parish. Most members make an annual pledge of financial support, either during the fall stewardship campaign or at any time during the year. Please contact the parish office for a pledge form or offering envelopes.
Members in good standing: A member in good standing is one whose baptism is entered in the parish register (through one of the means described above), who worships regularly, and who is a contributor of record (by pledge or other identifiable contribution) to the general support of the parish. Baptized members in good standing are eligible to serve on the vestry of the parish.
Understanding Confirmation, Reaffirmation and Reception
What is the difference between Confirmation, Reaffirmation, and Reception?
Confirmation is "a mature and public affirmation of faith and commitment to the responsibilities of Baptism" (BCP). At Confirmation, an individual receives the laying on of hands by the bishop, thereby affirming their own faith and visibly connecting to the broader Body of Christ.
Reaffirmation means that you choose to re-state your commitment to Christ in The Episcopal Church, honoring your growth in faith throughout your spiritual journey. Reaffirmation is a way to honor your journey and previous public commitment as an adult while also making this definitive sacramental gesture.
Reception is common for people who have been active throughout their lives in other denominations. Often, individuals who made a public profession of faith in a faith tradition such as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, or Roman Catholic will choose to be Received into The Episcopal Church.
Am I a "full member" of The Episcopal Church without being confirmed? Yes. The Book of Common Prayer defines Baptism as "full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble." Confirmation is a pastoral rite not in an initiatory rite. Through Holy Baptism, we join Christ's Body, either as infants or adults.
Is confirmation ever required to participate in certain aspects of the Episcopal Church? Yes. God may call some individuals, through the Church, into positions of guidance and leadership. For example, The Canons of The Episcopal Church state that Confirmation is required for certain leadership positions, such as Vestry members, and for some service positions such as Eucharistic Visitors, but this in no way precludes an unconfirmed individual from being considered a full member of the Body of Christ.
"I was baptized as an infant in another denomination, and then my family stopped attending Church. I only began attending again as an adult with my family. I want to join The Episcopal Church, but I don't know if I need to be confirmed, reaffirmed, or received." We would suggest that you be confirmed, because you have not made a mature affirmation of the faith. Your Baptism, once noted in the parish office, makes you a full member of The Episcopal Church. Confirmation is a way for you to reaffirm your faith and remain deeply connected to the Baptism of your childhood.
"I was baptized as an adult in another denomination. Should I be confirmed in The Episcopal Church?"
We would recommend that you be Received into The Episcopal Church. Since Confirmation is a "mature and public affirmation," it would really be redundant for you to make another mature and public affirmation; you made such a affirmation at your Baptism. And, The Episcopal Church honors your commitment to faith. Reception would mean that the bishop publicly recognizes the faith that has been present in your life, and you would be formally welcomed into The Episcopal Church through the laying on of hands. You may want to consider Reaffirmation if you feel your faith has grown substantially in the past few years.
What is the meaning of the bishop laying hands on those who are confirmed, reaffirmed, or received? When the bishop lays hands on your head during the service, it is a very tangible way for you to experience your own faith journey being welcomed into the larger journey of the Body of Christ. For many people, this portion of the sacramental service is very meaningful. A sacrament is "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace." In this way, the touch experienced in the laying on of hands forever remains in your memory as an experience of grace through the Church.
