Baptism is a 'sacrament' - a visible sign of God's love. In baptism, we are thanking God for his gift of life and publicly acknowledging His love. Baptism marks the start of a journey of faith - and it can take place at any age or stage of life.

The baptism service

The baptism service will normally take place in St. Nicholas during the main Sunday service. This is because it is a public declaration that the child or adult has become part of the church family. It allows the congregation to welcome the baptismal candidates and promise to pray and support them.

Usually Father Kevin will offer some preparation to the baptism candidates or (if the candidate is a child) their parents to explain the service and the commitment that is going to be made. This is a chance to explore more about the Christian faith and to think about what joining the church involves.

The service will normally follow the orders of service in the Book of Alternative Services but may be changed depending on whether:

• it is a child or an adult who is being baptised
  
• the baptism will be followed immediately by confirmation
  
• the baptism is during a service of Holy Communion or an informal family service.

During the service

During the baptism service the baptism candidates (or their parents and godparents if the candidate is a child) will be asked to declare publicly that they believe in God and will follow Jesus.

They will also be asked to declare that they have turned away from everything which is evil or sinful and promise to turn instead to Christ.

During the service, a number of important signs and symbols will be used:

• the sign of the cross - this will be made on the forehead of the baptismal candidates. It is like an invisible badge to show that Christians are united with Christ and must not be afraid to stand up for him.
  
• water - this will be poured over the head of the baptism candidates. it is a sign of being washed clean from sin and beginning a new life with God.
  
• anointing - the minister may anoint the baptism candidate with oil as a sign of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit
  
• a lighted candle - Jesus is called the light of the world. A lighted candle may be given to the baptismal candidate at the end of the service as a reminder of the light that has come into their life.

Godparents

Godparents are important people who have special tasks. They promise to help their godchild come to know God, encourage him or her in their membership of the local church and take an interest in their spiritual life. They make the same promises as parents on behalf of the child being baptised. They commit themselves to pray for the child and help the parents bring up the child in the Christian faith.

Children should normally have at least three godparents, two of whom should be the same sex as the child. They can be family members or friends (and parents can also be godparents). But to carry out this role, the Church of England requires that all godparents have been baptised and preferably confirmed as well.

Adult baptism candidates have sponsors rather than godparents. A sponsor will formally present the candidate for baptism and help them with their growth as a Christian. There should be at least two sponsors who, like godparents, need to be baptised and preferably confirmed.

Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child

A service of Thanksgiving is different to a baptism. It offers parents the chance to give thanks to God for the birth or adoption of a child and may be used in a number of different situations:

• to meet the needs of parents who view the service as a preliminary to baptism
  
• when parents do not wish to have their child baptised immediately
  
• when parents want to give thanks for the birth of their child but do not feel ready to make the promises of baptism.

The Thanksgiving Service can be either a private or a public occasion. If wished, a Baptism Service can take place at a later date.

Father Kevin will be able to provide you with more information about the Thanksgiving Service. To contact him, call the Parish Office at 416-691-0449 or Email »