More on at-large ACNA membership

The considerable amount of feedback that's been forthcoming regarding this article suggests that the idea of some sort of "at-large" or "watchcare" membership in the new Anglican Church in North America resonates with many of this blog's readers. Several have asked that I be more specific in how this might work. So instead of answering all those queries individually, I offer this postscript to my earlier post, if only to prompt some discussion. Here's how an alternative form of membership might work:

1. The default for church membership should continue to be involvement and association with a parish in a diocese under a bishop. Nothing should be done to dilute that, and the goal of any other form of membership should ultimately be to steer the person into normal membership in an ACNA parish as quickly as possible. So alternative forms of membership should always be viewed as transitional in nature.

2. Certain benefits that flow to church members by virtue of their membership should not attach to those in an at-large membership. Those members should probably not have voting rights, and should likewise not be counted in the censuses taken to determine diocese size, even if the persons are within the geographical area of the diocese.

3. At-large membership should not be available to those who have an ACNA parish within a certain distance of their home--perhaps 20 miles. In no way should such membership undercut existing ACNA parishes or church plants. That one is not keen on the "flavor" of a nearby ACNA parish (e.g., charismatic or Anglo-Catholic) is not reason to violate this rule. We certainly don't need to encourage any more Balkanization than there exists already.

4. Those allowed to have at-large membership must otherwise meet the requirements for church membership (baptism, confirmation, etc.). They would have to already have had prior membership in a church (preferably Anglican of some sort).

5. Those seeking alternative membership will have to be current members of another church, or at least certify (or provide evidence) that they are involved regularly with another church.

6. Such membership would have to be reviewed periodically, with recertifications made if necessary by the members. Such memberships could be canceled after a certain period of time if the members come to be within close proximity of an ACNA parish or plant.

7. Those seeking at-large membership should be expected to financially support the ACNA through annual pledges, even if they also have membership in another church.

8. The ACNA should not count these at-large members in their membership or ASA numbers, but always report these number separately (if at all).

9. Those with at-large membership should be assigned to the pastoral care of an ACNA bishop. That bishop could provide services (or arrange for such services) that the at-large members could not receive in their current churches, such as Anglican confirmation instruction.

10. At-large membership can be held at the same time as regular membership in another (non-ACNA) parish is held. But if one needed to transfer letters from one's previous church (an Episcopal Church, for example) before having another church home, those letters could be received and held by ACNA in the same way as regular membership transfers are done. This could be an option for those who can't abide having their numbers attributed to the Episcopal Church rolls, but who do not yet have another place to go.

11. At-large members should in every way be made to know they are in fact members of the Anglican Church of North America--through membership certificates, communications, and in all the ways members should be treated. They should know that this is their Anglican church. They should be able to say that they are Anglicans, not only by affection, but by affiliation.

12. For those for whom at-large membership would not be available (those close to an ACNA parish, for example) or those who prefer a less formal membership association, there could be "supporting members" who belong upon making a donation of a certain amount or paying a stated membership fee, much as one would join any other non-profit. These supporting members would not be assigned to a bishop or have access to the pastoral resources that at-large members would. But this would provide another source of financial support to the denomination.

Stephen Noll in a StandFirm comment asks whether the American Anglican Council might take on such an endeavor. While they might have the best list of prospects for such members at large, what's envisaged (save in #12 above) is actual membership in the new Anglican Church in North America, something transcending what the AAC currently provides. But it may well be that the AAC--now led by a bishop in the new church--would be a very good group within the Anglican Church in North America to provide such support.

As noted in the earlier posting, many who are leaving the Episcopal Church have gone to non-Anglican churches. Often this is out of necessity, owing to the lack of any Anglican alternative. But as time marches on, the chances increase that these families will be lost to Anglicanism forever, as people like the stability of staying put in a church. They get used to what they weren't used to before. This proposal may not be able to stop this reality. But it can serve in the long term to help folks maintain their Anglican identity, so that they might be more prone to join an Anglican church plant when one comes their way.