A few comments upon letters, and an example, from the history of the La Verne Church of the Brethren. 1) In the Annual Meeting of 1898 it was decided that when a member changed to a new church, the church clerk or secretary would fill out and issue a standard slip. It would be affixed to an “annexed certificate” and returned to the clerk of the church that issued the certificate, to complete the transfer. Such a form letter found in La Verne’s church records reads as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Church Letter This certifies that Mr. & Mrs. A.W. Warner presented their certificate of membership and is under the watch-care of the Pomona church. Date: 11/16/47. Pastor, H.E. Thomas. No. 44 P.O. Pomona, State: Calif. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) New members, received by baptism or by letter, were officially introduced to the congregation in a Sunday morning service, often at Easter. Their names were mentioned in the church bulletin and read into the minutes of the next Quarterly Council. Rev. Galen Walker summed up eight years in 1937 by noting that “We received 179 souls by baptism...254 by church letter, and granted 180 church letters.” [Granting to members moving to other churches.] 3) In one very early case, a disgruntled member demanded his church letter, to be given to him. The church preferred to mail it to the church he would be joining. Finally, reluctantly, they gave him his church letter and he vanished from our history. 3) In 1939, the April Church Council considered the question of what should be done when a person wished to join the church but did not have a letter of transfer. It was agreed that such persons state their case to the Membership Committee, and “If a confession of sin appears necessary, it shall be made to the committee and their confession of faith shall in every case be given to the committee. It this presentation meets the approval of the committee, they shall recommend that membership be granted to the persons concerned, and shall present the recommendation to the Official Board. If the Official Board approves, they shall recommend that the Council grant the persons membership in the church. This recommendation shall be presented to the church for final action." 4) In January, 1940, the La Verne church considered whether outsiders from other denominations be accepted into the La Verne church with just a transfer of letters, and no re-baptism? The issue was initiated by a request for membership by a new dentist in town, Dr. Worth. The Board recommended that a category of “Associate” members be set up as Section B under Section I, Article III of the constitution. "A" would be "Regular Membership”: “B” would read “Members of other Evangelical Churches, who are in good standing, may become associate members of this church upon recommendation of the membership committee and the official board. The associate member has all the privileges of a layman except to represent the church at District or Annual conferences.” A motion for this passed. The Board soon approved the Worths as associate members. Galen **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)