St. Paul members are a diverse bunch, being of a wide range of ages, ethnic backgrounds, and economic situations. You’ll meet natives and transplants, life-long Lutherans and recent converts, and everything in between. What matters is not our outward differences but that we are called by Christ and united in a shared understanding and confession of the Christian faith. We’d like for you to join us!
The Lord Jesus told His apostles to make disciples of all people by baptizing and teaching (Matthew 28:19-20). We can say with certainty that every member of St. Paul has been baptized, and it’s probably safe to say that every confirmed member has gone through at least one “catechism” class, or basic instruction in the Christian faith, at some point. (Members are always welcome back for “refresher” courses!) Those confirmed as teenagers typically have several years of instruction. Those who come to the Lutheran church later in life usually attend an accelerated adult instruction class.
Those who might be interested in membership are encouraged to participate in one of those adult instruction classes, which are offered at various times throughout the year, scheduled in part based on your availability. Classes primarily focus on the following: Who is Jesus? What has He done for you? How does He bring this to you? We will also address any questions you may have about Christianity and the basic teaching of the same found in the Bible. After successfully completing the class, you are free to join the church as a confirmed member, but you are under no obligation to do so. Like American Express, membership has its privileges, and it also has its responsibilities-we talk more about those in the class. If you are interested in or have questions about the classes, please contact the church office at churchoffice@stpaulaustin,org
In short, we invite you to become a fuller, more knowledgeable part of our fellowship! We look forward to getting to know you better, learning of your experiences and sharing ours with you. God’s forgiveness in His Son Jesus Christ given through Word and Sacrament are invaluable for a world in desperate need of His love and mercy. We are anxious to share that most precious gift with you!
