The principle of recommitment makes membership a temporary condition. It applies to all levels of membership. It means no one can rightly claim it for the long haul. Time differences are beside the point. The length of commitment is seldom more important than its immediacy.
Membership is a type of manna.
It does not have a long shelf life, nor does it automatically improve with age. Risk remains at the heart of commitment. Thus the invitation to review the issue of belonging. Different levels of responsibility, participation and risk make sense to me, beginning at those we are willing for our children to claim. Our ability to widen the tent, to broaden our circle of compassion, will probably have an important bearing on the kind of space we seek and need.