CHURCH COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE IN THE

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW YORK CONFERENCE OF

THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

An Introduction

The Metropolitan Association seeks to be a welcoming partner and to provide a welcoming home to congregations which share our trust in democracy, our broad theology, and our valuing of justice and diversity as expressed in our Mission and Vision Statements:

Mission

Following Christ, empowering our churches to change the world.

Vision

Communities of justice and extravagant hospitality transformed by God’s love.

 The process by which a church becomes affiliated with and a member of the Metropolitan

Association and the United Church of Christ (UCC) can be compared to the process of courtship and marriage.  In this process, we can identify four steps.

Introduction

A Church learns of the Association or the UCC or is approached by someone in the Association and interest is expressed in getting to know one another.  An initial meeting is set up between a few representatives of the Church and of the Association.  Stories are told, practices, beliefs and experiences are described and if enough common interests are identified, there is agreement to

move on to step 2.

Dating

In this stage, the Church and the Association each seek to learn more about each other.  Members of the Association’s Committee on Congregational Standing and Development will worship with

the Church and will direct the church leadership to resources where they can learn more about the history, beliefs and practice of the UCC, and of the privileges and obligations of membership in the Association.  This part of the process can often take several months.  If both the leadership of the Church and the members of the Committee decide that the Church’s joining the Association would be a “good fit,” we move on the step 3.

Engagement

The Church must now, through the congregational process of a vote of its membership, make clear its desire to officially join the Association.  The Committee then provides the church leadership with a list of items which the Committee must review to insure the Church in its practice and By-Laws meets the standards of the UCC.  Once the gathering and examination of documents is complete, the Church has a final vote to accept the By-Laws of the Association and the Constitution of the United Church of Christ.  This leads to the final step.

Marriage

The Committee presents its recommendation that the Church be received into membership to the Board of Directors of the Association.  With the approval of the Board, the Church is then presented to the Association at either the Association’s Spring or Fall meeting.  The Association officially votes to accept the Church into our fellowship with thanksgiving and applause!

The Rare Broken Engagement

Once in a while in this process, either a church or the Association will decide that this “marriage” - membership in the Association - would not be a good fit, and a respectful decision is made to part as friends.  But even then, it is our hope that in this process we have learned more about each other and learned valuable lessons about ourselves.

Note:  Becoming Part of the Family

In this metaphor, the local church is “marrying” the Metropolitan Association.  Once the church has officially been received into the Association, it automatically becomes a part of the UCC, and  the United Church of Christ becomes its extended church family.

Note:  Ministerial Standing

Becoming a member church of the Association and becoming a minister with standing in the Association are two separate processes.  When a church joins the Association, the minister is recognized as the pastor of the church, but unless he or she has already gone through the process or elects to go through the process of becoming a United Church of Christ ordained minister, the pastor retains his or her standing with the church body that originally ordained or gave standing.

To consider becoming a United Church of Christ minister, please consult with the Association’s

Committee on Ministry.