We at Prince of Peace are glad that you have chosen to explore who we
are through our website.
Prince of Peace (PoP) is a Christian community that is committed to
the transformation of lives through Jesus Christ. We pray that,
as our lives are changed to reflect the love of Jesus Christ, it will
transform each one of our relationships and eventually, our entire
community.
Some of the most commonly asked questions are addressed in this section. For the purpose of simplicity, the information which you will find is in the form of questions and their answers.
You will see subjects about church membership in general and membership at
Prince of Peace in particular. The questions range from our beliefs about Jesus to
our mission and vision for the ministry that God has given us in
Northern Virginia. If you have additional questions that you wish to
explore, feel free to speak with one of our staff members or pastors, or just
email us. We are eager to serve you.
It is our hope that this information will also serve as a tool to share the blessings of PoP’s church family with your friends who may not be connected with
Jesus.
Topics:
1. What is a church?
2. What is Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and School?
3. What is Prince of Peace's Mission?
4. What is the vision of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church?
5. What is church membership?
6. How does one become a member of Prince of Peace?
7. What specifically are some of the commitments related to church
membership?
1.
What is a church?
The word “church”
is often used in a number of ways. It may be a reference to a building or to the
people who gather there every Sunday. It may also refer to a denominational
group such as Methodists, Catholics, Baptists, etc. For our purposes, we
understand the church to be those Christians who gather for worship and
spiritual nurture around the Bible and the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy
Communion (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 2:42; 1 Peter 2:9).
2.
What is Prince of
Peace Lutheran Church and School?
Historically, Prince of Peace was organized in 1962, with a
Christian pre-school formed in 1969. Prince of Peace has a membership of 1,250 members and preschool enrollment of 300 students;
we average nearly 600 people in worship each weekend in our three worship
services.
As to our beliefs we are Lutheran Christians. The Lutheran
church is a worldwide communion of Christians whose mission is to proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. We believe that God graciously forgives us
and offers us new life through the death and resurrection of His Son. We are
fully committed to serving our Lord and our community in the name of Jesus, the
Christ.
Lutherans also believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and
the only reliable source and standard for what we know about God. The most
important teaching of the Bible is the salvation of the sinner by grace through
faith in Jesus Christ who died and rose again as our substitute.
Prince of Peace is a part of the 11th largest denomination in
America called the “Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod” which numbers over 2.6 million members. The word “Synod” means
“walking together.” This is exactly what we as a denomination strive to do
as together we believe, teach and profess the same things about Jesus Christ and
work together on various projects which we could not do alone as single
congregations.
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3.
What is PoP’s
Mission?
Our
mission is the same Mission Jesus gave his disciples:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
by teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20)
4.
What is the vision of Prince
of Peace?
Our vision can be summed up
in this statement:
“All People Transformed to live and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
We are a dynamic Christian community called to creatively CELEBRATE the Love of God;
GATHERING, NURTURING, DISCIPLING and SERVING all people transformed to
live and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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5.
What is church membership?
Membership is one way that we understand the relationship one has with the local church.
While the people, programs, preaching and other aspects of a church may draw
someone to a church, becoming a member signals a commitment to Christ and
reflects a significant decision which should be carefully made. (After all, a
church is not a club, but it is a community of faith in our Savior Jesus.)
Church membership is a personal commitment of individuals and
families to one particular group or community of Christians. Formal membership
in a particular church is not a pro forma guarantee spiritual
benefits—Christ’s Spirit is at work wherever you find His means of grace at
work (His Word and the Sacraments). Church membership signals the congregation
at which one will primarily experience worship life, spiritual growth in Christ,
and their expression of service.
When one joins a church,
one is no longer alone. The new member becomes part of the forgiven people of
God in that place.
6.
How does one become a member of
Prince of Peace?
When an individual or
family expresses a desire to become a member of Prince of Peace, adult members
of the family are encouraged to participate in our Connections Class,
generally offered on Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:45 (during the Sunday school
and Christian education hour). The Connections Class seeks to ensure that
each person has a firm connection with Jesus, our Savior, and assists people in
making connections with others who are a part of or who are becoming a part of
the Prince of Peace family. Through a variety of ways, we also seek to help
people connect their interests, gifts, and needs with the many ministry
opportunities that are offered at Prince of Peace.
If you are interested in membership at Prince of Peace,
please contact Judy Meyer, our
Minister of Discipling, to learn more.
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7.
What specifically are
some of the commitments related to
church membership?
Certain
things are assumed of members when they join Prince of Peace (PoP).
There is a commitment to the teachings of Prince of Peace and to the
mission and ministry priorities of PoP. Thus there is a common or
shared faith and a common or shared profession of faith among all the
members. We also join hands in a common mission.
As one becomes a member they agree to: become part of Christ’s team at Prince of Peace;
regularly attend worship; manage their time and spiritual gifts to support the mission and vision of this congregation;
engage in Small Groups and Bible Study; set a goal to tithe (1/10) of your earnings for Christ’s Kingdom;
and help make decisions as a voting member of Prince of Peace at
congregational meetings.