Greetings in the name of our crucified, risen, and reigning Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! St. Paul Lutheran Church is a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). As such, membership at St. Paul is based on your confession/agreement with the teachings of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as drawn from the Holy Scriptures (The Bible) and the Book of Concord (The Lutheran Confessions). As a result, there are four ways to become a member of St. Paul:
- By Baptism: The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is for all people infants, children, or adults. (Matthew 28:19, Romans 3:23, 1 Timothy 2:4, 1 Peter 3:21) Children who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism at St. Paul Lutheran Church are considered baptized members of St. Paul who are under the spiritual care of the Pastor. Adults who are not yet baptized can contact the church office and enroll in our Adult Information Class and receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
- Youth Confirmation: Baptized members of St. Paul go through a four year period of catechetical instruction in the Christian faith. At the end of this four year period, those who are prepared may undergo the Rite of Confirmation whereby they confess for themselves what their parents confessed for them at the time of their baptism. This will also normally be their First Holy Communion.
- Adult Confirmation: If you are considering joining our busy, active, wonderful church, we invite you to attend our adult information class, “Lutheranism 101.” This 10-week class is usually offered twice a year and scheduled on an as-needed basis. Look for details in the church bulletin & newsletter or call the church office for more information. Upon completion of the course, if you desire to join the church, you will be received by Holy Baptism (if necessary), the Rite of Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. This will normally take place at the next Easter Vigil (the night before Easter).
- By Letter of Transfer: If you are currently a member of another LCMS congregation you may request that your membership be transferred from your former LCMS Congregation to St. Paul. To do this, please contact your former congregation and ask for a Letter of Transfer to be sent to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2025 Jackson St., Dubuque, IA 52001. You will then be publicly welcomed to our church family during one of our worship services.