|
about us
worship |
|
WORSHIP
Baptism
Congratulations on your desire to have your child baptized. We realize that this is an expression of your desire to be the best parents you can possibly be and to do what is best for your child. We take baptism, and your request to have your child baptized, very seriously. Baptism is the statement of your intention, based on your faith and membership in the church, to raise your child in the life and faith of the church as well. As such the statements and commitments that you make as parents in the service of baptism are very important and are not to be taken lightly. We believe that baptism services that truly express the faith and intentions of the parents in this regard are extremely significant, and that parents who make these vows on behalf of their children are giving them a wonderful gift. We want to work with you to ensure that your child’s baptism has the full meaning and significance it deserves.
In order to do so we have a
process of preparation for baptism consisting of three essential
ingredients, each of which is directly related to the promises and
commitments parents make in the baptism service. What is required? · We ask you to join us regularly for worship on Sunday mornings. Because baptism is the rite of initiation into the life and faith of the church it is important that those who are seeking baptism join with the church community as we gather for worship. · We ask you to participate in our Believing 101 course. Because we make such important statements in the baptism service about our faith and our intention to raise our children in this faith, we want to make sure that we are in agreement as to precisely what it is that we are talking about and agreeing to in this. The Believing 101 course deals with the basics of the Christian faith and what it means to be a Christian. The course consists of four 2 hour sessions held over 4 weeks, and is normally offered three times per year. Many people at St. James’ enthusiastically remark that this course has been a genuinely life-changing experience for them.
·
We ask you
to participate in our membership course, “Where Do I Start?”
In this course we explain what it means to be a member of this church.
Again, because baptism is the rite of initiation into the life and faith
of the church it is appropriate to take this course in order to determine
whether or not St. James’ is the church to which you wish to belong as you
live out the promises and commitments you are making in the baptism
service. Process of PreparationIt is important to understand that these three elements of the preparation for baptism process should not be seen as hoops you need to jump through in order the qualify for baptism. Each of them is integrally related to the meaning of baptism and is intended to help you prepare for a truly meaningful baptism experience for you and your child. Obviously, all of this takes time. However, this should not be a concern. Jesus himself was about 30 years old when he was baptized!! Baptisms at St. James’ rarely take place within less than 8 months from the time a family first inquires about baptism and begins coming to worship. Baptisms are done during our Sunday morning worship services about 3 times per year. In order to get started, begin attending worship and get a sense of whether or not this is the kind of church you would like to belong to. Make sure we have your name, address and telephone number and that your name is on our baptism preparation list. Register for the Believing 101 and Where Do I Start? courses when you see them listed in the weekly service leaflet or mentioned in the announcements during the service, and attend the courses. We will then be in a position to begin making arrangements for your child’s baptism. The gift of faithThe gift of faith is one of the most precious gifts you can give your child. During the course of your parenting you will spend countless hours supporting your child in all kinds of activities from tee-ball to dancing to power skating, and many, many more. These are obviously important, but none of them is anywhere near as important as the gift of faith which provides a foundation for your child’s life and the perspective from which his/her life will be lived and understood. We invite you to invest the time it takes to prepare for a meaningful baptism.
Please contact the church for more information - 519-442-4334 |