I. The Meaning of Membership
Becoming a member of the Free Community Church family means that I am committing myself to the best of my ability to:
1. grow as a Christian disciple who strives to grow into the image of the Lord Jesus as reflected in the Gospels particularly in his relationship with God, his focus on personal spirituality and his mission to stand on the side of marginalized peoples; understand that my solitude with God is the starting point from which I enter into community with others and to serve in larger ministry outside the church;
2. in my own way, help grow the unique community at FCC so that each member can grow in her own understanding and journey in the Christian life; helping develop in 5 different environments in FCC: Healing, Welcoming, Learning, Liberating and Thriving;
3. live out the Principles of Community Life so that FCC can grow as a continuously diverse and inclusive Christian community.
II. Membership Criteria (Requirements)
1. Members are required to attend a membership class, or have attended the “Our Heart for the House” series, or have read the transcripts of the series, or viewed the video recording of the series.
a. Part 1 – Our Heart for the House by Ps Gary Chan
b. Part 2 – Our Heart for the House by Ps Pauline Ong
c. Part 3 – Our Heart for the House by Ps Gary Chan
d. Part 4 – Our Heart for the House by Pauline Ong
2. For additional membership resources, we also recommend reviewing the following –
a. The Call of FCC
b. FCC’s Community Life Principles
c. Membership & Leadership in FCC
3. As members of FCC, we tithe because we recognise that we are stewards of the resources with which God has blessed us. We believe that our tithe is a spiritual discipline and commitment to this community and should be balanced to care for those both within and outside the church.
a. The effectiveness of the church in making disciples, building a welcoming community, and spreading justice, mercy and hope in the communities we are entrusted with is limited by the generosity of our members;
b. While we do not mandate the amount of the tithe, we ask that all members of FCC commit to a set amount of regular giving to FCC;
c. We also request members to fill up pledge forms so that we can remind ourselves to fulfil our commitments and help FCC in financial planning;
d. To ensure the transparent and effective use the money you have committed, members of FCC will be presented with an annual budget plan and opportunity will be given to review the budget before a vote is taken to pass it;
e. Regular reporting and annual audits will also be conducted to ensure that this money has been correctly and accounted for.
Click link below to download a copy of the Financial Pledge Form and mail it back to us or drop it into the offering bag during service.
[ Download Pledge Form (pdf) ]
III. Personal Membership Covenant
1. Affirm the FCC Faith Statement
2. Will uphold to the FCC Principles of Community Life
3. Will Support the FCC Vision and Mission Statement
4. Live out the two scriptures Jesus taught in Mark 12:30-31 to the best of my ability –
Mark 12:30-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
” (30) you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ (31) The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
IV. FCC Membership Covenant to members
1. Help the member grow as a Christian disciple who strives to grow into the image of the Lord Jesus as reflected in the Gospels particularly in his relationship with God;
2. Help the member grow in the community at FCC so that each member can grow in their own understanding and journey in the Christian life;
3. Offer to be a place of welcome, healing, learning and liberation through the life of the community such as weekly worship services;
4. Provide access to appropriate spiritual and/or social counselling resource/s, either at FCC or by referral to more specialised resources in the wider local community;
5. Provide a safe and supportive space, and leadership, to help a diverse and inclusive community grow according to its needs in Singapore and, where appropriate, in Asia;
6. Seek the participation, contribution and collaboration of each member of the Church, particularly in the matters of FCC’s corporate governance such as confirming the annual budget, election of the Board of Directors, and other relevant matters brought during the Annual General and Extra-Ordinary General Meetings.