Membership Questions
What does becoming a member of the church not mean?
It does not mean you can now receive communion. You already can.
It does not mean you can now join a Bible study, or have a wedding, or grieve a loved one here. You already can.
It does not mean you can make use of envelopes in order to receive tax receipts for donations. You already can.
What does becoming a member of the church mean?
It means that you take a step to make this church, “your church.”
It means that you commit yourself to be part of this people and this place.
It means that you set out to encourage the community in thanking people when you are blessed by them in some way.
It means that you set out to strengthen the community by expressing your concerns humbly and directly.
It means that you set out to help out when you have the ability and the time to carry it out.
What do I need to do to become a member?
You need to ask. Making the church “your church” is something you need to initiate. Call the office. Talk to the pastor. Through this conversation, you can decide if you want to sit down with the pastor and talk about the basics of Christianity or talk about the specifics of being Lutheran. Or you may find that you simply wish to join the church without instruction in one of three ways
- If you have never been baptized elsewhere: ask to arrange for baptism. Baptisms normally take place at a Sunday morning service, but in special circumstances, people request private baptisms.
- If you have been baptized: ask to join through “affirmation of faith” (which simply means to be present at a Sunday worship and speak the words of the Apostles’ Creed). You may choose to let a previous congregation know that you wish to be released from membership or you may choose to retain membership in both congregations.
- If you are a member of an Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada congregation: ask to have your membership transferred from that congregation
That’s it. It begins simply by asking.
Please consider this act of deepening your walk of faith with Jesus, by committing yourself to walk, serve, learn and grow with other followers of Jesus in this place.
Baptismal Arrangements
Lutherans trust that Holy Baptism serves as a means of God’s grace: that is, that this act is a gift of God, proclaiming God’s unconditional love and thus open to all who would desire it. Trinity Lutheran Church baptizes people of all ages at their request or at the request of their parents in the case of infants and children. Prior to baptism, a meeting with a pastor may be needed for baptismal candidates or for parents of children being baptized, to provide an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the Christian faith in general or the Lutheran traditions specifically. Normally, the baptism takes place during the Sunday worship, but occasionally special circumstances may call for a private baptism.
Your first step in moving toward baptism (or just to inquire more about this sacrament) is to contact our church office to talk to a pastor. We look forward to your call or email!
Wedding Arrangements
Q: Can we be married at Estevan Trinity Lutheran Church?
All are Welcome!
We are often asked, “Do we both need to members of the Church?” Well, Jesus involved himself with all sorts of people. So the Church following Jesus would serve you whether you are Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, Muslim, Hindu, agnostic, or none of the above. You are welcome here just as you are. We are all beloved children of God!
We do ask you understand that all the weddings we celebrate at Trinity Lutheran Church are seen by our pastors and community as worship services, and as such, the focus of the wedding celebration is formed and based out of the good news found in the Christian faith.
Marriage Preparation
In the hopes of building a firm foundation for your marriage, couples are encouraged to enrol in a pre-marriage educational opportunity. Please talk with the pastor about possible or recommended options.
The First Step in Booking
If you have more questions, or for booking a wedding, please contact the office. (It’s very necessary to check for date and pastor availability!) For wedding bookings, Trinity Lutheran Church generally operates on a first-come/first-served basis. We would love to sit down with you to get to know you and to talk to you about beginning this new stage in your life together.
Congratulations and God’s blessings in this important time in your life!
Also, FYI…Wedding Requirements of the Government of Saskatchewan:
Marriage Licence
Before a marriage service may be performed to make a union valid in the provinces’ eyes, you must provide the pastor with a valid marriage licence. Go to http://www.saskatchewan.ca/live/births-deaths-adoption-and-marriages/preparing-for-and-getting-married/get-a-marriage-licence. When you are going to get the licence, you will need to present two pieces of government identification, one must be picture ID, and pay a fee. Both people need to be present. Individuals who have been divorced will need to present the licence issuer with a certified copy (raised seal) of the “final decree.” If you do not have a certified copy, contact the courthouse in the area where you were divorced. The licence is valid for 90 days, but must be obtained at least 24 hours before the ceremony.
Registration of Marriage and Marriage Certificates
You must complete a “Registration of Marriage” Document and sign the document along with two of your attendants and the pastor – the “signing of the registry” normally takes place during the wedding ceremony itself. (The officiating pastor will provide you with a copy of the registration form to be completed by you and delivered to the church at least one week before the ceremony.) After the wedding, the registration form is sent to the government department by the officiant. A second document, a church marriage certificate, will be provided for your keeping, signed by your attendants and the officiant at the ceremony. To obtain an official Province of Saskatchewan marriage certificate after your ceremony, go to http://www.ehealthsask.ca/vitalstats/marriages/orderamarriagecertificate/Pages/default.aspx
Funeral Arrangements
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In this time of mourning, we ask God to surround you with love and we share these words of promise with you from the Apostle Paul:
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died” (1 Thessalonians 4).
In the Spirit of Jesus Christ, we are here to support you in your time of grief. If you are reading this in a time of loss and are wondering about funeral arrangements, we invite you to please call our church office and speak to the pastor.