FAQ'S about Joining FUMCR

If you are considering joining FUMCR then we want to help answer your questions about church membership.
If you do not find the answer to your question, please contact Elizabeth Wilson, Welcoming Ministry Associate.

I'm not a Methodist; can I still join FUMCR?

Yes, in fact, many people who join FUMCR come from many different faiths.  If you have been baptized, we accept your baptism and your belief in Jesus Christ and warmly welcome you to join.

What if I have not been baptized?

For adults who have not been baptized, and are seeking membership at FUMCR, we would love to help you take this very important step in your faith. It is necessary to be accepted into Christ's holy church prior to being received into church membership. Baptism is a sacrament of the church, a brief ceremony that takes place during Sunday morning worship. We ask that you attend a baptism class prior to scheduling a baptism during a Sunday morning worship service.  Baptism classes are appropriate for all ages seeking baptism and are an opportunity for you to meet with a Clergy member and discuss the meaning of baptism for you and what we believe about baptism in the United Methodist Church.

Do I have to attend a membership class before I can join?

No, there is not a required membership class prior to joinng. We do, however, invite and encourage you, as a continuing guest, to participate in the Friendship Opportunities offered for guests: Coffee and Conversation, The First Look, and the First Friend Appointment.

When can I join?

  • any Sunday morning during the closing hymn of a traditional worship service
  • any Low Stress - Small Group Joining Sunday
  • by appointment for special situations (e.g., including nursing homes, shut-ins, hospitals )

What is expected of church members?

To live out the mission statement of First United Methodist Church Richardson by

  • attending worship regularly
  • growing in your personal journey of faith
  • serving the Lord in the congregation, the local community and the world
  • giving in proportion to your income
  • sharing your witness by upholding and living out your membership vows  

What are the membership vows?

" Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?"

Prayers:
We pray because we need God's guidance in order to be the church.  When we pray for each other, our church, our community and our world we express our dependence on God do that we might in turn express the will and compassion of Christ.
Presence:
Our presence is our visible witness to our faith.  Our presence in church and in worship is where we find inspiration, guidance, hope, comfort, strength, and peace.  We live out our witness in our community where we live, work, and play. Our presence should be an expression of our commitment to Christ in all aspects of our life.
Gifts:
We give of our gifts as a thankful response for all God has given us. This serves to remind us of our role as stewards over what God has entrusted to us. Systematic giving helps to establish and maintain ministries that are made possible only through the individual gifts of many.
Service:
To uphold the church through our service is to follow the example of Christ who came not to be served, but to serve. God had given us certain gifts and abilities and sharing these gifts is a means of sharing ourselves with love and gratitude for God and one another.   
Witness:
To share your witness is to live a life in Christ and share God's love and grace with the people and community surrounding you.  Sharing these gifts in your work, in your schools, in your life's activiites is to live out a life in Christ.

What is Low Stress - Small Group Joining?

Low Stress - Small Group Joining is another way to pledge your membership to FUMCR outside of traditional worship in the Sanctuary.  This is a smaller, more intimate group setting for being received into membership.   Meet with one clergy member, one staff member and a few congregation members in the Shawver Welcome Center on a designated Sunday.  Click here for the schedule of upcoming Low Stress - Small Group Joining Sundays.