St Barnabas Church

Baptism at St Barnabas

Baptism is a sacrament of belonging. In baptism we ask God to cleanse us from sin and to make us part of the Church. When we come for baptism we are saying "yes" to God.

Christian parents bring their children for baptism because they want them to be part of the community of faith. Parents and Godparents (or Sponsors) take on promises on behalf of the children they bring for baptism. They also take on the responsibility of raising their children as active members of the church.

In the Christian life, we are not alone. God provides us companions on the way and we share our faith and our struggles with the community of the Church. In Baptism, the Church says "yes" to you.

Following is a brief guide to baptism.

• How much notice is required?
• Do the parents need to be Anglican?
• Do the god-parents need to be Anglican?
• When may a Baptism be performed?
• What are the promises we make in Baptism?
• What is preparation is necessary?
• What do we do next?

Advance Notice

In bringing a child to be baptized in the church we seek to give the child something of value which we already have: active membership in the Church and the joy of the Christian life. Parents do not need to be Anglican, but at least one must be baptized, and it is normally expected that at least one is a practicing Christian.

Godparents or sponsors do not need to be Anglican, but they must be baptized themselves, and should be practicing Christians.

Dates for Baptism

• The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (first Sunday after Epiphany)
• Easter Vigil or Easter Day
• Pentecost
• All Saints
• The Bishop's Visit

The Promises in Baptism

• We affirm our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• We promise to "continue in the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers."
• We promise to "persevere in resisting evil and, whenever we fall into sin, to repent and return to the Lord."
• We promise to "proclaim by word and example the good new of God in Christ."
• We promise to "seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbours as ourselves."
• We promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

In other words, we promise to be active members of the worshiping community, seeking to strengthen our faith by worship and study, and seeking to help bring God's love into the world.

Baptismal Preparation

Baptismal preparation normally takes place in four sessions. In these we look at the meaning of baptism, the role and duties of parents and godparents, and the actual baptismal liturgy. The final sesssion includes a brief walk-through of the service.

Baptism of Adults

Fees

Often we are asked what the fee is for baptism. As a sacrament of commitment to God and membership in the church, there is no fee for baptism at St Barnabas.

We do encourage all members to make responsible Christian Stewardship, which includes support for the church, a regular part of their baptismal commitment and life.

Next steps