Trusting in your willingness to listen and to aid in securing the removal of any injury, if such should be found to exist, Yours in Christian fellowship, (Date and place.) The churches (and persons) invited are as follows:(Names.) FORM FOR THE USE OF A CHURCH REQUESTING The Great Head of the Church has united us in the choice of Mr. to be our pastor and teacher, and he has accepted our invitation to that office. We therefore give notice that we shall send him, with the regular delegate from this church, to the next meeting of the Association; and we request that at that meeting the Association examine our records, and our candidate, and if deemed expedient that he be returned to us with the approval of the Association, and that the Association send to us representatives of the churches who shall join in our public service of ordination, to be held in our house of worship on We desire also to invite to that service the churches in and Rev. Messrs. and we request that the Association constitute the messengers of these churches and the brethren above named corresponding members of the Association at this service. Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, we are, Clerk. 19.... Committee. FORM TO BE USED BY THE SCRIBE OF AN In Calling a Special Meeting, or in Making a Special THE..... To the Churches represented in it, GREETING:- that the Association at its next regular meeting examine Mr. with reference to his fitness for the Gospel ministry, and if deemed expedient, to ordain him in order to his accepting a call as pastor of that Church; notice is hereby given that at the next regular meeting of the Association, which is to be held at on this business will be made a special order. By request of the said Church, the following churches and ministers who are not members of this Association, will be proposed as corresponding members for that session: Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, we are, on behalf of the churches of the Association, 19... Registrar. Advisory Committee. (The above form may be modified to serve as a call for a special meeting of the Association to act in a conciliary capacity.) FORM FOR THE USE OF A CHURCH INVITING AN ASSOCIATION TO MEET WITH IT FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE. (In the following form the purpose assumed is that of the ordination of a minister. But the form may readily be adapted to any other purpose in which the Association is desired to meet in conciliary capacity.) Congregational Church of The To the Association sendeth GREETING:— Beloved Brethren: the The Great Head of the Church has united us in the choice of Mr. to be our pastor and teacher, and he has accepted our invitation to that office. We therefore cordially invite the churches of Association to meet in special session in our house of worship on 19..., to review our proceedings, to examine the candidate, and if deemed expedient to ordain him to the Gospel ministry [and to install him as pastor of this Church]. We are inviting, also, the following churches and individuals to be present, and our delegate will move that the messengers from the above churches and the ministers named above be made corresponding members of the Association at this meeting. Desiring that prompt notice of this meeting be given to the churches of the Association, and wishing them grace, mercy, and peace, we are, 19.... Clerk. Committee. FORMS RELATING TO THE DISMISSION OF CHURCH MEMBERS. APPLICATION FOR UNITING IN THE FORMATION OF A NEW CHURCH. To the Church of DEAR BRETHREN: Being desirous of uniting with other Christian brethren in the formation of a new Congregational Church in I hereby respectfully request a letter if dismission and recommendation for that purpose, to take effect when such church shall be duly organized and received into the fellowship of the churches. Yours in Christian Fellowship. (Signed).. 19. member in good and regular standing of this Church, is at own request hereby dismissed and affectionately recommended to unite with other Christian brethren in the organization of a new Congregational church in When membership in such church shall be completed, membership with this church will cease. Yours in Christian fellowship, (Signed).... 19.... Clerk. APPLICATION FOR A LETTER OF DISMISSION FROM To the of Church DEAR BRETHREN: Being desirous of uniting with the Church of I hereby respectfully request a letter of dismission and recommendation to that church. Yours in Christian fellowship, This certifies that Congregational Church Church GREETING: a member in good and regular standing of this Church, is at ..... own request hereby dismissed and affectionately recommended to your fellowship and care, and, when received by you Church will cease. By vote of the Church. membership with this 19... Clerk. NOTE 1. This letter is good, as a recommendation, for one year only from its date. 2. The clerk of the church accepting this letter is requested to fill out the accompanying blank certificate, and return it to the above address as soon as possible. to our Christian fellowship by you, was, on the day of of the 19. ..., received into the membership Church of Attest, Clerk. 19..... FORM FOR DISMISSION OF MEMBERS Who Desire to Unite with Organizations not in Fellowship with Congregational Churches. If a member of a Congregational Church insists upon withdrawing for the purpose of uniting with an organization not in fellowship with that Church, and if he be a person whose Christian life would entitle him to a letter if he would unite with another evangelical Church, he should not be dismissed coldly nor in strife, but may, by vote of the Church, be granted dismission, and given a certificate in form as follows: To Mr. DEAR BROTHER: This will certify that your name has been upon the roll of this Church since and that it has continued there until this time, as that of a member in regular standing; and that you are now dismissed at your own request, to seek fellowship elsewhere. We should be glad to have you continue with us, or if you must leave to dismiss you to a church with which we |