Baptism with water into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is the sacrament by which are signified and sealed our union to Christ and participation in the blessings of the new covenant. The proper subjects of baptism are believers and infants presented by their parents or guardians in the Christian faith. In the latter case the parents or guardians should train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and should expect that their children will, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, receive the benefits which the sacrament is designed and fitted to convey. The Church is under the most solemn obligation to provide for their Christian instruction. (Basis of Union 2.16.1)
The above comes directly from our Twenty Articles of Doctrine. As it states, Baptism is one of the two sacraments of the United Church of Canada, and because of that it is a very important part of our tradition. It means a lot to us and we hope it means a lot to you as well.
All Baptism requests come to either the presiding minister or to the Congregational Board. Each person, or in the case of an infant, person’s parents, meets with the minister several times before the act of Baptism to talk about what it means to take this step.
Something important to note is that Baptism is not about saving the child or person from something, nor is it about ensuring they are loved by God. In the view of the United Church of Canada all people – and children – are loved by God and are offered the gift of grace from the moment of their birth. The act of Baptism is a response to that love and grace. It is our saying yes to God’s love, it is our receiving of the gift of grace already given. Perhaps the best way to describe Baptism is that it, like Communion, is an outward sign of an ever-present inward grace.
Should you have any other questions about being Baptized or having your child Baptized, give us a call at (506)458-1183.
