LC: 62. CLASSIFICATIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERSHIP AND LITERATURE
Family membership is divided into four categories: Charter Members, Fellow Members, Live-Out/Catacomb Members and Other Members.
A. CHARTER MEMBERS:
A Family member who is saved, witnesses, fellowships, tithes, gives a 1% FAF contribution monthly, abides by the Charter and the "Fundamental Family Rules" and fulfills the Responsibilities of Individual Members.
1. VOTING LIVE-IN MEMBER: A member who has lived in a Charter Home for over six months, and is at least 16 years old.
Eligible to receive all available Family publications--CM, CM/FM, FM, DFO and GP, unless an age designation stipulated on a specific publication makes them ineligible for that particular publication.
Membership requirements for the live-ins aren't any different than they have been for many years: saved, number one. Two, they must witness or litness. Three, fellowship!... Four: support, minimum tithes, and five, TRFs in full! Right?--These are the absolutely irrevocable, unchangeable Laws of the Family, requirements for membership and the rules for receiving lit! (ML #1730:20,21).
2. MEMBER ON PROBATIONARY STATUS: A live-in member whose Home has placed him on Probationary Status in accordance with the Procedures for Placing a Member on Probationary Status.
Those who have been placed on Probationary Status can be assigned to read parts or all of the Reading List for Fellow Members Changing to CM or Those on Partial Excommunication in Appendix G and other publications--CM, CM/FM, FM, DFO and GP--at the Home teamwork's discretion. They do not lose their right to read any and all CM lit.
3. NEW DISCIPLE (OR BABE): Non-voting live-in Family member who has joined or rejoined the Family within the last six months.
Eligible for the following Family publications:
0-3 months: Babes Basic Course, and GP/DFO publications.
3-6 months: Hear or read CM and CM/FM publications at the teamwork's discretion, including the Priority Reading for New Disciples' First Year in the Family.
After 6 months, all other requirements having been met, they become a voting member, eligible to have full access to the CM lit library and receive personal copies of any Charter material sent OPD.
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4. PREVIOUS LIVE-OUT OR CATACOMB MEMBER: A non-voting live-in new disciple who was a Live-out or Catacomb member for at least three months immediately prior to joining full-time, and who completed the entire Babes Basic Course during that time.
Eligible for the following publications:
0-3 months: Read DFO publications and hear or read CM/FM and CM publications at the teamwork's discretion, including the Priority Reading for New Disciples' First Year in the Family.
3-6 months: Full access to the CM lit library and receive personal copies of any CM material sent OPD.
After six months, and all other requirements having been met, become a voting member.
Not everyone who was at some time a Live-out or Catacomb member will be eligible for this upon joining, but only those who held this status immediately prior to joining full-time, and who during that period read the Babes Basic Course. If, for example, a person was a Live-out two years ago and read the Babes Basic Course, but then fell away, only to come back as a Live-out member at a later date, after which they make the decision to join as a full-time member; they would need to read the Babes Basic Course again, just like anyone else joining the Charter Family. This is because one of the main reasons for the Babes Basic Course is to provide a solid Word foundation and a "Back to the Basics" course for anyone who needs grounding in the basics.
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5. TEEN/YA RETURNEE: Teen or YA who has returned to Charter Member status after having been out of the Charter Family no more than six weeks. A Teen/YA returnee age 16 or over retains voting rights, and is thus a voting member, but does not have the Right of Mobility until the Procedures For Accepting Young Returnees Back Into A Charter Home are completed.
Eligible for the following publications:
Must read the first five sections of the Basic Letters for Babes. Eligible to hear or read CM/FM and CM publications at the teamwork's discretion. Upon completing the first five sections of the Basic Letters for Babes, they are eligible to read all CM publications, have full access to the CM lit library and receive personal copies of any CM material sent OPD.
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6. A FELLOW MEMBER CHANGING HIS OR HER STATUS TO CHARTER MEMBER--JOINING AN EXISTING CHARTER HOME: A Fellow Member transferring to Charter Member status and moving into an existing Charter Home on a six-month probationary period.
Eligible for the following publications:
0-3 months: Must complete the Reading List for Returning FMers or Those on Partial Excommunication, the "Charter of Responsibilities and Rights" and the "Fundamental Family Rules."
3-6 months: Read CM/FM publications and hear or read CM publications at the teamwork's discretion.
After 6 months, and the requirements under Procedures for Fellow Members Changing to Charter Member Status and Moving Into an Existing Charter Home having been met, they have full access to the CM lit library and receive personal copies of any CM material sent OPD.
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7. A FELLOW MEMBER CHANGING HIS OR HER STATUS TO CHARTER MEMBER--STARTING THEIR OWN CHARTER HOME: A Fellow Member who is a member of an entire Fellow Member Home that is returning to Charter Member status as its own Home, rather than joining an existing Charter Home.
Eligible for the following publications:
0-6 months ("probationary period"): Reading List for Fellow Members Changing to CM or Those on Partial Excommunication, the "Charter of Responsibilities and Rights" and the "Fundamental Family Rules."
6-12 months ("transitional period"): all CM mailings, providing they are living according to the Charter.
As outlined in Procedures for Moving Fellow Members to Charter Member Status, D. 1., the six-month "probationary period" can be shortened to three months if the Home completes the Reading List for Fellow Members Changing to CM or Those on Partial Excommunication during that time and meets the other requirements listed.
8. PARTIALLY EXCOMMUNICATED MEMBER: A Charter Member who has been partially excommunicated and must fulfill the requirements in the Procedures for Excommunicating Family Members, A. 2.
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Eligible to receive all available Family publications--CM, CM/FM, FM, DFO and GP, unless an age designation stipulated on a specific publication makes them ineligible for that particular publication. Must complete the Reading List for Fellow Members Changing to CM or Those on Partial Excommunication during their period of partial excommunication.
B. FELLOW MEMBERS:
1. FELLOW MEMBER: One who is saved, completes a monthly TRF, tithes and fulfills the basic requirements and guidelines of Fellow Members, as outlined in the Statement on Fellow Members.
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Eligible for the following publications:
All expurgated ML volumes up to and including Volume 17 (but not including Volume 4, which has been expunged, or loose CM publications). HomeARC Vol. 1 ('96) and HomeARC '98 (FM version only), and subsequent FM versions of the HomeARC.
DBs 1-9, the MOPs, CAT book, PUBDEX, Childcare Handbooks, Raise 'em Right, BTH, Marvellous Marriage, LWG, LOG, New Heaven's Children, Techi's Life Story, KTKs, True Komic Volumes, Word Basics, The BEST, The Book of Remembrance 1 and 2, Heavenly Helpers 1, 2 and 5, Activity Books 1-4, The Rhyme Book, Daily-Dex, DMs 1 & 2, Bible in Pictures, How To Love, How To Get Things Done. Fellow Members may order the Love Charter from their continental office if they so desire.
CM/FM, DFO and GP publications.
All regular FM and CM/FM mailings providing they meet their reporting requirements.
2. FELLOW MEMBER NEW DISCIPLE: One who has been in the Fellow Member Family for less than six months and fulfills the requirements listed in the Statement on Fellow Members. A person can join the Family as a Fellow Member by moving into an existing Fellow Member Home with the agreement of that Home's members, and the new member's commitment to following the principles and guidelines outlined in the Statement on Fellow Members. Or, with continental office approval, a person can join the Family as a Fellow Member by beginning to report as their own Fellow Member Home. (See the Procedure for Non-Family Persons Becoming Fellow Members and Starting Their Own Home.)
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Eligible for the following lit:
0-3 months: CM/FM lit at the Home teamwork's discretion. (Fellow Members who begin reporting as their own Home may begin receiving CM/FM lit as soon as they are approved by the continental office and their first report and tithe have been received by the continental office.)
After 3 months they have full access to the CM/FM lit library and to receive personal copies of OPD CM/FM material.
During the first six months in the Family, must read the Babes Basic Course.
C. LIVE-OUT/CATACOMB MEMBERS:
1. LIVE-OUT MEMBERS: Friends who are saved, regularly fellowship with a Home, attend meetings, witness and help a Home, and tithe or give substantially to a Home or WS. (Occasional visitors who drop in once in a great while, or even DF/Follow-up members whom you visit and feed are not to be counted as "Live-outs.")
Live-outs are required to tithe or give regularly to either your Home or WS. A person who does not have any personal income may not be able to tithe, but those who have a job or any income at all should be taught to tithe, regardless of the amount of the tithe. Live outs can read the Letters designated FM or CM/FM at the Home teamwork's discretion. In special cases, WS may grant permission for a Live-Out member to read CM publications at the teamwork's discretion.
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Eligible for the following publications:
GP and DFO publications. Certain CM/FM publications, as well as older CM publications which FMs are eligible for, at the entire Home teamwork's prayerful discretion. (Permission to read other CM publications can be granted by WS leadership in special cases, and these may be taken off the Charter Home's premises at the Home teamwork's discretion.)
2. CATACOMB MEMBERS: These are people who would join a Home, but cannot due to special circumstances, such as being underage, being in military service, in debt, etc. They are saved, they witness and/or distribute literature, and they either tithe their income to a Home or WS, or are being taught to tithe. They might not come over for fellowship as often as Live-outs, or attend Home meetings as much as Live-outs, since they might have restrictions set by their parents, the military, etc. But they have progressed beyond the Daily Foods and such Follow-up type courses, are reading more DFO literature than a DF/Follow-up member, and have progressed to the point where they intend to join when the restrictions are lifted. You must have some sort of contact with these people at least once every month in order to list them as members, and to confirm that they are still active members.
Catacomb members believe and follow Family doctrine as much as possible, and seem to be headed towards becoming either Live-in or Live-out disciples, circumstances permitting and God willing. Catacomb members can read the Letters designated FM or CM/FM that the Home feels would be good for them to read. In special cases, WS may grant permission for a Catacomber to read CM publications at the teamwork's discretion.
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Eligible for the following publications:
GP and DFO publications. Certain CM/FM publications, as well as older CM publications which FMs are eligible for, at the entire Home teamwork's prayerful discretion. (Permission to read other CM publications can be granted by WS leadership in special cases, and these may be taken off the Charter Home's premises at the Home teamwork's discretion.)
D. OTHER MEMBERS:
This category includes what used to be DF/Follow-up members, Outside witnessers, Active supporters, Mail ministry and GP members. Homes or areas may still need to keep separate categories for your Other Members, but for WS stats purposes we will now include all these former categories as simply Other Members.
Eligible for GP and DFO publications only.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family