Baptism
Adult Baptism
Grace Church would be honoured to walk with any adults who are considering Baptism. If you are an adult living through a spiritual awakening, baptism is a helpful way to ritualize and mark this season of new life and transformation. We know that a spiritual awakening can be a wonderful time in your life. The world somehow seems different and, for some, life seems full of wonder and surprises. Baptism provides a chance to make an adult proclamation of faith in a parish community that wants to support you and share your newfound joy. If you are an adult thinking of baptism, contact the Reverend Dave Ponting at (519) 752-6814 for an informal exploratory conversation.
Baptism of Infants and Young Children
Your child's Baptism is a time of joy and celebration and we are pleased that you are allowing us to share in your joy. In the rite of Baptism your child will be welcomed as a beloved child of God and into God’s Church. This is an important day in the life of your child. It’s an important day for the people of Grace Church too. We delight in welcoming children here at Grace and take the spiritual nurture and care of your child very seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Many people have questions about having their child baptized. Here are some of the more common ones:
Q. Do I have to attend church to have my child baptized? Baptism is not simply a rite of passage. It is a religious and spiritual experience of God's grace in our lives. In the baptism ceremony, the parents and god-parents are asked to take a series of vows. One of these vows specifically states that the parents and god-parents will nurture the child in the faith and life of the Christian community, which simply put, includes modelling regular church attendance to your child as they grow and begin to understand more about their faith.
One option for parents who feel they can not, in all honesty, take this vow but still wish to have a religious ceremony you may wish to consider the service of "Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child" found on page 609 of the Book of Alternative Services.
Q. When will the Baptismal service take place? At Grace Church, Baptisms take place at the main (11:00am) service on Sunday mornings so that the Christian community at Grace Church may take their part in welcoming your child into the family of God. Ideally, Baptisms are held on one of the Church's festival days - the rector can give you upcoming dates on which a baptism would be appropriate. Baptisms are not normally held during the seasons of Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) or Lent (the six weeks before Easter.) Having said that, you need to know that, the priest wants to work with you to pick a Sunday that works for you and your family.
Q. What if I (or the child's other parent) am not baptized? In the case of young children or infants being baptized, at least one parent should be baptized. (It does not matter which denomination the parent was baptized into as long as they were baptized in "the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.") The parent who is not baptized is encouraged to take part in the service to the degree that they can take the vows on behalf of the child with integrity of heart. (In some circumstances, grandparents or other guardians can take the place of parents in presenting the child for baptism.)
Q. How do we choose god-parents? First and foremost, god-parents must themselves be baptized. The role of the god-parents is to support the parents in raising the child in the Christian faith - for this reason they must be Christian themselves. God-parents are usually chosen from friends or relatives of the parents. When choosing god-parents it is important to consider the spiritual life of the person, their ability to relate well to children and their ability to honour the vows that they will take during the baptism. Choose someone whom you believe will take an active and interested role in your child's life.
Q. Do we have to have godparents? The child's parents are the primary sponsors in baptism and it is not necessary to have god- parents. For those who choose to have god-parents it is customary to have a godfather and a godmother, who do not need to be related to one another. It has also been traditional in the Anglican Church (but not obligatory) when baptizing children to have up to three god-parents - two of the same sex as the child and one of the opposite sex.
Q. Should the Godparents be my child’s legal guardian? God-parents are not the same as legal guardians though you may choose to name one or both god-parents as legal guardians. God-parents have a connection with the child through their role in the Baptism and the vows they have taken but this has no legal standing should the child be in need of a guardian.
Q. Are there pre-baptismal classes or instruction? Since Baptism is such an important part of your child's life, you will need to meet with the priest before the day of the baptism. Normally, at Grace Church, we try to arrange for two group pre-baptism classes. At these classes (or individual meetings) you and the priest will have the opportunity to discuss your reasons for wishing your child to be baptized, the meaning of baptism itself and some of the basic beliefs of the Church.
Perhaps the most helpful discussions at these classes (or individual meetings) are practical conversations about how to bring your child up to be a person with strong faith and moral values. As a new parent, it is often hard to know where to start and how to approach the topic of faith with our children. We can help.
God-parents are welcome at these two sessions.
Q. Do I have to attend pre-baptism classes if I have already had a child baptized at Grace Church? If you have previously had a child baptized at Grace Church you do not need to repeat the Baptismal preparation.
Q. What about pictures and video? The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is a sacred event that takes place in the context of a service of worship, therefore, no pictures are allowed to be taken during the service itself. The priest would be delighted to remain after the service to 'stage' any parts that you wish to have pictures of and you are quite welcome to take other pictures around the font or elsewhere in the sanctuary.
If you wish to have your child's Baptism videotaped you may arrange to have an individual do so. They must remain in a fixed position which is to be decided before the service in consultation with the priest. Please have your videographer arrive at the church by 10:10am so that the position of the camera may be discussed. Lights may not be used with the video camera.
Summary
Finally, your child's Baptism is a sacred, holy and joyful event meant to be shared with loved ones, friends and the community of God. At Grace Church we care about you and your child and we want to walk with you through this special season in your child’s life.
If you have any questions, please call the Reverend Dave Ponting at Grace Church (519-752-6814) or contact him by e-mail at . We are here to serve you.
