Glossary of Terms: Term definition

membership, local church

Includes those persons who have been baptized and who have been received into membership in a local church through confession of faith or by transfer of membership and who have taken the vows of membership. A person who is a member of any local United Methodist chruch is a member of the United Methodist denomination as a whole. It is the obligation and the responsibility of the pastor of the local church to decide who will be admitted into membership.

Source: A Dictionary for United Methodists, Alan K. Waltz, Copyright 1991, Abingdon Press. Used by Permission.