Thanksgiving and Blessing: Adult Baptism: Infant/child Baptism

We are pleased that you are interested in having your child blessed in a service of Thanksgiving or Baptism. We understand this as an occasion to express the thanks and happiness you feel for the new life you are now nurturing.

 

Thanksgiving and Blessing

Thanksgiving and blessings are offered for families who would prefer that their child has a chance to be taught and to understand their Christian faith and then embrace their Baptism at a more mature stage in their faith journey. Thanksgiving and Blessings for an infant/child will occur within a normal service of worship. This allows the family to acknowledge before God, friends, family and the gathered congregation that it is their intention to bring up their child within the Christian community.

 

Baptism

Baptism if Christ’s gift. It is the sign by which the Spirit of God joins people to Jesus Christ and incorporates them into his body, the Church. In his own baptism in the Jordan by John, Jesus identified himself with humanity in its brokenness and sin; that baptism was completed in his death and resurrection. By God’s grace, baptism plunges us into the faith of Jesus Christ, so that whatever is his may be called ours. By water and the Spirit we are claimed as God’s own and set free from the power of sin and death. Thus, claimed by God we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit that we may live as witness to Jesus Christ, share his ministry in the world and grow to maturity, awaiting with hope the day of our Lord Jesus. (The Meaning of Baptism, Uniting in Worship 2005)

 

Infant/child

Baptism is important for the Christian Church, and we have the following expectations of parents who are asking for the baptism of their child.

• Baptisms are performed during a worship service as part of the gathered community in Dubbo.
• As part of the service of baptism parents are asked to declare their own Christian faith. In the sacrament of baptism you will be promising to bring your child up as a part of the Christian Community by participating in the faith and teachings of the church.
• Part of our response is the commitment to support you and your child and to help us to get to know you, we would like you to attend church services before and after the baptism is held.
• Through the love and nurturing of your child by your family and the church community we are encouraging our children to progress in their understanding of their faith to the point of being ready to acknowledge their Christian faith through their own confirmation.
• Although Godparents are not an official part of the Uniting Church belief and practice Godparents are able to be incorporated into the service.

• Please contact the Dubbo Uniting Church office directly to schedule a time to meet with the minister or a presider.

 

• Adult Baptism may be arranged after consultation with the minister.
  • This includes any person who has had a Thanksgiving and Blessing service or who as an adult is ready for baptism.