We strive to be a church where anyone can feel at home, be challenged to grow, and ultimately be empowered to impact the world for the better. We seek to create caring relationships with visitors, attendees, and members alike. We notice when people are absent or sick or hurting because of the interpersonal relationships we build with one another as we draw closer to God.
We are not a numbers-driven, “bigger is better” kind of church; membership is not required to participate meaningfully in our ministries and activities. But we do care about investing in your long-term spiritual growth and see formalizing this mutual commitment as a good way to do it. Once you have visited and gotten to know us, ask any Bruen Chapel member what their membership means to them, talk to our pastor, and consider joining us as a member.
What is membership exactly?
Membership expresses a formal commitment to 1) love and serve God as a disciple of Jesus Christ within the worldwide Christian community and 2) seek to live for God’s Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed as part of the United Methodist Church as a global denomination. Membership expresses also a formal commitment to live out your faith locally as a member of Bruen Chapel through supporting this congregation and its ministries and acknowledging that Bruen Chapel has a critical role in your spiritual wellbeing and fellowship. When people join a United Methodist Church, they are asked to support the local church as long as they are living in the community and on its membership rolls through their involvement in worship and ministries, through their skills and talents, their financial giving, and their faithful witness as a Christian in the world. In joining our church, members affirm the work of God in their lives and agree to help love, support, and encourage one another in their maturing faith.
How can I become a member of Bruen Chapel?
Start a conversation with our pastor who will help guide you through the steps and counsel you based on where you are in your journey with Jesus. New members come from a variety of backgrounds—from brand new Christians with no church experience to youth to long-time members of another church or denomination who are new Northern Virginia.
If you have never been baptized before, our pastor will help prepare you for baptism. Through baptism, you make a public profession of faith in addition to joining the church.
If you were baptized as a baby or young child, you reaffirm the commitment your parents or guardians made on your behalf as your own when you take membership vows.
Members of many other Christian denominations (e.g., Baptist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc.) can typically transfer prior membership to Bruen Chapel.
Youth are welcomed as members through confirmation. Confirmation affords youth 12 years of age and over an opportunity to learn about and directly engage with our beliefs. Through discussion-based classes with the pastor and congregational mentor, youth explore what Christianity means and find a safe place to ask deep questions while also learning and the history and purpose of the United Methodist Church. At the end of this process, youth can decide to publicly affirm their faith and be recognized as a full-fledged member of the congregation, an important spiritual milestone on their transition to adulthood.