Become a Member – St. John’s Lutheran Church

Interested in Joining?

St. John’s welcomes you to join us in ministry and mission! Becoming a member helps you deepen your relationship with God and with the community. You’ll receive all our communications, be invited into service and giving, and find your own place in this multi-generational community of people seeking to grow in love.

Most activities at St. John’s are open to all people, whether or not they are members, and our membership process, called Accompany, provides a way for you to know others and call this place your spiritual home.

If you are interested in membership, contact Angie Gehring at sharedministry@stjohnsnorthfield.org. Taking the first step will ensure that you receive all our church communications and receive invitations to connect with others in our community.

What is Accompany?

Accompany is a series of gatherings for newcomers and welcomers (also called sponsors, they have been around St. John’s a while). The relaxed gatherings are designed to help you explore your faith and get to know a small group of people more deeply. We gather to reflect on the worship for the day and talk about the connection of worship to life.
What are the sessions like?

We gather informally first, catching up with each other and enjoying refreshments. Our focus in the beginning months of Accompany is to spend time together sharing “highs” and “lows” from our week. As we get more comfortable we spend time listening to the Bible text of the week in a process called “lectio divina.” Not a Bible study, lectio divina invites us to ask questions and wonder about how God might be working today. It is less about “information” than about “formation” in our spiritual lives.
What if I'm not Lutheran?

St. John’s recognizes the baptisms of all Christian denominations. As part of the Accompany process, you’ll be offered the chance to be blessed at the Rite of Welcome and to reaffirm your baptism as you join the congregation. The whole community prays with and for you as you make this your spiritual home.
What if I have another church home?

If you have more than one home, you do not need to leave your church membership elsewhere to join St. John’s. You may join St. John’s as an associate member. You may then be a voting member at St. John’s when you are here with us. You can be an associate member even if your other membership is not at an ELCA congregation.
How do I get started?

Contact one of the pastors at 507-645-4429 to learn about the next step.

During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our gatherings have moved to remote opportunities, but we can still help you get connected.

Even if you cannot attend the next series of Accompany gatherings, we can get you started on your way to joining St. John’s as soon as you are ready.