Baptism
A guide for parents and godparents
Contents:
Baptism: What's it all about?
How did it start?
What actually happens at the baptism service?
How much does it cost?
Making promises
The promises explained
I'm not sure I can make these promises
Shouldn't we let our children make their own decisions?
Godparents
What happens next?
Baptism: What's it all about?
The baptism service involves...
- declaring your belief in God
- making promises
- a new beginning
- sharing in the death and resurrecion of Jesus in a symbolic way
- joining the Church family (your local church and the worldwide Church)
Christians describe baptism as a sacrament - this means an outward and visible sign of God's love. We believe that God loves all people equally, of whatever race, creed or colour, but at baptism we consciously make a point of acknowledging his love. We turn away from evil and darkness towards goodness and light.
How did it start?
Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan and it was here that he became aware of God as his Father and felt the special presence and power of the Holy Spirit come upon him. This was a turning point in his life. You can find the story in the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark. After his death and resurrection, Jesus commanded his followers to make new disciples and to baptise them too. This has been done ever since in Christian churches throughout the world.
What actually happens at the baptism service?
If you have not been to a baptism service for a long time, it is a good idea to go to church one day when you know there will be a baptism taking place. This will make you feel more at home and more familiar with the style and content of the service.
Normally baptisms take place during the main Sunday service at the church. Before the day of the service the minister will show you what to do and explain the baptism itself.
Water
After the declaration of faith, the minister blesses the water which he will use to baptise your baby. Water is an important sign of life, both in a physical and a spiritual way. Just as we cannot live without water to drink, so we cannot live eternally without the cleansing and renewing love of God. The water of baptism symbolises being washed clean by God.
The sign of the cross
During the service the minister will make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child, using water or special oil. This is like a badge and reminds us that as Christians we must not be ashamed to profess our faith and must fight against all that is evil.
A candle
You may be given a lighted candle during the service to show that in baptism we pass from darkness to light. Jesus is described in the Bible as "the light of the world" and Christians are to "shine as a light in the world". It's up to you to help your child reject all that belongs to the darkness of this world and embrace a way of life that reflects goodness and light.
A baptism is a public ceremony and at the end of the service the whole congregation joins together to say, "We welcome you into the Lord's family. We are members together of the body of Christ; we are children of the same heavenly father; we are inheritors of the kingdom of God. We welcome you."
How much does it cost?
There is no charge for a baptism service although you may wish to make a contribution to the church.
Making Promises
A baptism is a very important occasion. Because it is not something to be undertaken lightly, parents and godparents are asked to stand up and make promises before God and the congregation. You have to promise to bring the child up in a Christian home and to set a good example through your prayers and by attending church regularly. You also make a statement of faith in God in the three ways that he reveals himself to us - as Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and will be asked three questions about the way in which you intend to live your lives.
- Do you turn to Christ?
I turn to Christ - Do you repent of your sins?
I repent of my sins - Do you renounce evil?
I renounce evil
The promises explained
I turn to Christ
I want to change direction. I accept that my life is not totally my own. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the son of God and I will try to
follow his teaching and his guidance as I live each day.
I repent of my sins
I'm sorry about the past and I know I am accountable to God for my actions and thoughts. I can never be perfect but as I admit what is wrong
he forgives and accepts me.
I renounce evil
I know that I sometimes have to make choices in life between good and evil. I want to set evil behind me and from now on I will always try to
choose the good.
Parents and godparents make the promises for themselves and for the child. They apply to their own lives and the child's life for which they are responsible.
I'm not sure I can make these promises
It is important to decide whether you and your godparents can make these promises and answer the questions truthfully. Your minister will want to discuss them with you anyway and will help you to understand what they mean. As parents, you need to think carefully about why you want your child baptised before making a final decision.
If you decide that you are unwilling or not ready to make the promises required in a baptism service, you may still want to give thanks for the birth of your child and pray for God's support throughout it's life. If so, you could choose to have a Service of Thanksgiving instead. This would enable you to say thank you to God without the extra commitment and promises which baptism requires. You may always have your baby baptised at a later date. This service may also be used as a pre-baptism service for those who want to give thanks for the birth of their child before the actual baptism service.
Shouldn't we let our children make their own decisions?
Some people find it hard to make promises for their children in case they are thought to be imposing their beliefs on them. But from the moment your baby is born, you make decisions and choices which will influence them for the rest of their lives. You don't wait until they are old enough to ask for milk before you feed them. You teach them to tell right from wrong and to be honest and truthful, in the hope that they will choose to be all these things when they are old enough to make up their own minds.
In the same way, it is right that you should give them spiritual nourishment and teach them about the love of God from an early age. You want them to be open to God and the wonder of his creation and to encourage them to care for others as well as themselves. Whey they are old enough, they may choose to be confirmed and make an adult Christian commitment. Even if they don't, you will have helped them to understand something about God. They can then make their own decision on the basis of experience and knowledge.
Godparents
Parents love their children and take the major responsibility for their care and upbringing - physically, mentally and spiritually. But most people find that being a parent is very hard work and appreciate the interest that special friends and relations take in thier children. Being asked to be a godparent is a compliment and a privilege but it is also a responsibility because you are being entrusted with a share in the upbringing of a child. Your job will be to love and encourage the child, to pray for and with them, and to help them live and grow in God's way, both by your words and example.
Children must have at least two godparents (one being of the opposite sex to the baby) who must all be baptised and, preferably, confirmed. Most people choose three close friends or relatives. Sometimes there are family pressures involved in choosing relations as godparents, but they have to make the same promises in the service as the parent and need to be chosen with care. If a family tragedy were to occur and both parents were to die, the godparents might also take on the role of guardians for the children.
Often godparents like to buy a special present for the child and there is a variety of good quality prayer books, story books and Bibles for children available. You need to decide whether your present is something suitable for the child to use now or whether it is to be kept until a later date. As well as remembering birthdays and Christmas, some godparents like to mark the anniversary of the baptism with a card or phone call. Keeping in touch will help you to know your godchildren better and enable them to get to know you.
Godparents will often be given a card reminding them of their promises and duties...not to be tucked away in a drawer but to put on a noticeboard or wall to remind them to pray for their godchild.
What happens next?
Baptism is a significant new beginning - it makes your child a member of God's Church. It is also the start of an adventure which will continue for the rest of the child's life.
Once you have made contact with your church, we hope that the promises you have made and the welcome you have received will encourage you to worship there regularly as a family.
Children should be welcome at all services and our parish will organise particular occasions when children will be especially welcome with their parents (and their bigger brothers and sisters).
Ask about...
- Family services
- Sunday School / Children's clubs
Your children will only feel they belong to the church if they become familiar with the people and the surroundings. Like any family, you have to join in and do things together to get the most out of it. It may be that taking your child for baptism has renewed or increased your own interest in God so this may be a good opportunity to see what's on offer for you too.
Text adapted from A Christian Voice in Education
National Society/Church House Publishing
Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 38N