This is a letter from Mike Frans to prepare you for the Grace Church Active Membership Conversations.

First of all, thank you for inquiring about active membership at Grace Church! That's the first step to truly calling Grace your home. And the word "active" was chosen by design...we see our members as active participants in the Grace Church journey...in every way!

I am so encouraged that you have decided to explore becoming an active member at Grace Church! Unlike club memberships in other organizations, being an active member at Grace involves more than signing on a dotted line and getting your benefits packet. Don't get me wrong, there are benefits for those who make this commitment to active participation at Grace Church, but our bottom line is different than most organizations. It's not just a club to join or belong to, nor about the benefits to you (though there are many!)...it really is about your spiritual journey and that of the rest of the community at Grace Church.

At Grace, to become an active member, we don't want to bore you with long, one-way membership classes that are simply lectures and info that you could read in a book. We'll give you some things to read to prepare you for membership, but these are simply the basis for conversations we'd like to have with all those who commit themselves to Grace Church as their home. Rather than classes where you "sit and git," we envision an experience where we sit down face to face over coffee and interact about our journeys...you and your spiritual journey and that of Grace Church. We want to hear how Christ became real to you and for you to learn how we can be part of helping you grow in Christ-likeness. We want to talk about your life's mission and the mission of Grace Church, and how the Lord may have brought us together to advance His kingdom by using your gifts and talents to that end! We want you to discover our heart and soul at Grace as you interact with us about our core beliefs and values and how they help us put shoe leather on our Christian journey! We want to learn what energizes you on your journey and what drags you down and help link you up with others in the Grace community so that you can do your journey together...and do it more effectively!

To jump start those conversations, read The Heart and Soul of Grace Church and Active, Participating Membership at Grace Church so that when we meet, we can dive right in. I'm envisioning fast-paced, interactive sessions in a relaxed atmosphere, where we can talk heart-to-heart about the things that matter to us at Grace and the things that matter to you. We'll need a 3-hour block of time plus a follow-up interview. During those times, you're invited to bring your questions...and we'll bring ours. Bring your stories and we'll bring ours! Come and meet some of our visionary leaders and pastors at Grace. Come and spend an unforgettable time together, both for you and for us!

To set the pace, we want you to help us set the day for those conversations! I've suggested some below...just e-mail me at the address below to let me know what might work best for you, and I'll let you know what will work for all of us.

• A Monday evening from 6-9
• A Tuesday evening from 6-9
• A Wednesday evening from 6-9
• A Saturday morning from 9-noon
• A Saturday afternoon from noon-3

Just email back your top 2 preferences, read the attachments, and let the conversations begin!

Looking forward to our conversations together!

Mike Frans