Membership
There are many forms and ways of belonging. it is not our way to inform you of your membership in our community, instead you inform us, as you begin to resonate with our traditions, rule of life and spiritual practices, taking them on as your own.
We welcome you to explore life with us in community for month or more (without coersion or pressure from us to join) in order to help you discern whether Church of the Apostles community might become your spiritual home.
We recongize the following ways of participation at Chuch of the Apostles:
Member: - Those for whom COTA is their ‘home’ community. Members affirm our rule of life and spiritual practices, participate regularly in weekly Eucharist, participate in a ministry or community group outside of weekly worship, and make and maintain a financial pledge/tithe to support the ongoing mission and ministry of our church.
Participant- Those who participate our public worship services and events.
Resident - Those living in COTA intentional community houses.
Associate- Friends who hold their primary membership in another church community, yet often particpate in COTA worship and events.
Newcomer – Those who are new and participating in COTA worship services and events in order to discern becoming a member of COTA.
Apprentice: Seminarians and other interns who come to learn with us (for a few weeks to a full year) as part of their prepration for vocations in service of the church (lay and ordained).
Pilgrim- Those who come to visit and learn with us for one liturgy to a week or more, usually from out of town or out of the country.
Catechumens- Those preparing for Baptism into the ‘order of Jesus’ at COTA.
Within our community there is a very strong center (the Holy Trinity and the Way of Jesus) and a permeable, open, perimeter. There is no in or out, but a 'centered set' community around the Holy Trinity. Our ethos of life prvides freedom and open space for particpation in community at various levels of committment, but always in harmony with ethos, the rule of life, spiritual practices, ministry and mission of Church of the Apostles.
What you become willing to invest of yourself, your time, your giftings and your finances within Chrisian community, will in some ways help determine what Christian community life can do to enrich and sustain your spirituality and discipleship... Thus we welcome you to visit and discern a calling to investing yourself fully in membership in Apostles' community as the context for your full, conscious and active participation in the Mission Dei and the way of Jesus Christ.