Membership in the Church

Membership in the Church

From the LC-MS website.

Why should a person join a congregation?

Joining a church says to the public you are a Christian and that you are a member of God's own people, who are called "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9).

It says you believe and act thus and thus as a witness to the Christian faith and as an example to others. It means you are doing what the very first Christians did in joining to devote themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:42).

It means you will be able to receive the encouragement, strength, prayers, Baptism, the Lord's Supper and the application of God's Word from fellow Christians and a pastor, which you may not have the privilege of receiving as a non-member.

It will tell other Christians and the world you have considered it a serious matter to be able to join together with Christians to support the work of the church of calling a pastor, providing instruction in the Christian faith for the youth, adults, the older set, doing evangelism and mission work at home and abroad.

It would not only witness to other people who you are and what you are about, but it would show God what He wants of His groups of His chosen, His own people — that you are not just talking about and maybe doing half-heartedly but are involved whole-heartedly in doing what He expects.

Joining a congregation is a serious declaration you intend — with His help — to participate fully in doing the things of God. In most congregations, only members who have joined receive the Lord's Supper, have the privilege of voting, obtain recognition by the government for tax purposes, and have full use of the church and other amenities. What would happen to God's church if everyone decided not to join with other Christians to be His own people?

Source

https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/faqs/worship-and-congregational-life#membership

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Bio

I am a Canadian-Brazilian pastor living in Port Coquitlam BC, Canada. After graduating from Concordia Seminary in São Leopoldo, Brazil (Class of 1998), I was ordained by my father, Rev. Curt Albrecht, in Curitiba. My first pastoral call was to Peace Lutheran Church in Campo Bom, RS, where I served from 1999 to 2004. Highlights of that ministry included preaching and leading Divine Worship, engaging in youth ministry, music, member visitation, and local missionary outreach. In 2004, I began serving at ULBRA (The Lutheran University of Brazil), where I held different Calls over the years. From 2004 to 2007, I was called as Campus Pastor for the Canoas Campus and as church planter for the campus outpost of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. By late 2007, the new congregation was able to call a full-time pastor. From 2008 to 2011, I was called to resume campus ministry with a special focus on communications, particularly the “Toque de Vida” (“Touch of Life”) Project. This initiative began as a daily TV program and later expanded to include email devotionals in Portuguese, Spanish, and English; a blog; a radio broadcast; and, in 2014, the planting of Toque de Vida Lutheran Church in Canoas. Between 2012 and 2015, I was called to serve as Head Chaplain for the ULBRA System nationwide. During this time, I continued to lead the Toque de Vida initiative, and also served as Assistant Pastor at CELSP (2012–2014), volunteered in ministry at Toque de Vida Lutheran Church (2014–2015), and taught high school religion classes. In 2016, I became a professor at ULBRA’s School of Theology and continued as Campus Pastor in Canoas, while also serving as a volunteer pastor at Toque de Vida Lutheran Church. In November 2016, I accepted the call to be Associate Pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina, Canada, where I was installed in February 2017. Teaching and preaching, music ministry, member visitation, youth engagement, and online ministry were highlights of this period. In August 2023, I accepted the Call to serve at Hope Lutheran Church in Port Coquitlam, BC, where I am serving since October, 2023, working with both Church(Active in Love, Growing in Christ) and School (Equipping each child to impact the world for Christ's glory). Educationally, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Communications-Journalism in 2011, focusing on "The Lutheran Sermon from the Receiver’s Viewpoint." In 2014, I completed a Specialist degree in Human Resources, with a dissertation on "Institutional Values in Hiring in a Confessional Lutheran Institution." My second diploma in Theology from Ulbra came in 2015, alongside a Master’s in Theology from Concordia Seminary, São Leopoldo, with a dissertation titled, “Preaching for Everyone and for No One,” which explored the history and production of the Toque de Vida TV program. In the same year I finished the Master in Sacred Theology Diploma (MST) at The Concordia Seminary, Sao Leopoldo. The dissertation, "Preaching for everyone and for no one" researched History and production process of the TV Program Toque de Vida. I am currently a student of the Doctor of Ministry Program of the Concordia Seminary St. Louis, USA. I was born in 1975 in Naviraí, MS, Brazil, to Rev. Curt and Ligia Madalena Albrecht, the fourth of nine siblings. I have been married to Djenane Hans since 1997, and we have two children, Charles and Rachel Sophie. My personal interests include spending time with family, music, digital ministry, multimedia communication, and leadership. For hobbies, cooking and working around the house.