Becoming a Member

How do I become a member at Trinity Church? Don’t worry—it’s easy!

If you were baptized at Trinity Newport…

Any person baptized in the parish ,who has not subsequently joined another parish, is considered a member. (Of course, if you haven’t been to Trinity since your baptism, or if it has been more than a couple of years since you were here, we’ve probably moved you to an “inactive” status for record keeping purposes. Don’t worry, we’re happy to flip the switch back to “active” once you’re back among us!)

If you belong to another Episcopal Church…

Any person who is a parishioner in another Episcopal Church who wishes to become a member of Trinity Church may do so by requesting a letter of transfer from their previous parish.  Our parish administrator is happy to help with this request.

If you don’t belong to another Episcopal Church, or any church or community of faith…

Any person who wishes to become a member of Trinity Church and is not currently a parishioner in another Episcopal Church may establish membership by having proof of baptism recorded with the parish office. “Proof” of your baptism can be as simple as providing the date and place of your baptism, so don’t worry if you’ve lost track of, or never had, a baptismal certificate. Our parish administrator will be happy to receive your details—you can even accomplish this by email. The important step is deciding that you want to make a commitment to Trinity

How do I know if I am a “Communicant in Good Standing?” Why does this matter?

Members, also known as communicants, are considered active members, (or in the official language of the church “communicants in good standing”) if they have been faithful in corporate worship and faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Gospel in the past year. How is that measured? We consider you an active member is you are present more often than absent on Sundays, if you are involved in some aspect of the parish (participating in coffee hour counts!), and if you are giving financial support (of any amount) to the church. Active members enjoy all the privileges and all the responsibilities of membership in the parish—you get to vote at the Annual Meeting and all other special meetings of the parish, you qualify for members’ fees for events at the church, and you can serve on the Vestry of as an Officer.