Historic • Timeless
Baptisms at Christ Church, Frederica
Baptism is the primary sacrament in the Church across Christian denominations. It defines our membership in the Body of Christ and calls us to a certain way of life. Baptism is offered to all persons from infancy through adulthood. Typically, baptism is offered on several days throughout the year, days the wider Church has established as being particularly appropriate for baptism:
- All Saints Day (or the Sunday after), typically around November 1
- Baptism of our Lord Sunday, typically the Sunday after January 6
- Easter Vigil or Easter Day, which fall in March or April depending upon the year
- Pentecost, which is 50 days after Easter, and often in June or late May
- Whenever the Bishop visits
- Other dates for good cause and in collaboration with parish clergy
- Baptisms are not offered during the season of Lent
There is some preparation for the baptismal candidate or their parents (in the case of young children). If you are interested in baptism, please speak to a member of the clergy.
“Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body, the church. God establishes an indissoluble bond with each person in baptism. God adopts us, making us members of the church and inheritors of the Kingdom of God (BCP, pp. 298, 858). In baptism we are made sharers in the new life of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the foundation for all future church participation and ministry.
Each candidate for baptism in the Episcopal Church is to be sponsored by one or more baptized persons. Sponsors (godparents) speak on behalf of candidates for baptism who are infants or younger children and cannot speak for themselves at the Presentation and Examination of the Candidates. During the baptismal rite the members of the congregation promise to do all they can to support the candidates for baptism in their life in Christ. They join with the candidates by renewing the baptismal covenant.
The water of baptism may be administered by immersion or affusion (pouring) (BCP, p. 307). Candidates are baptized “in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” and then marked on the forehead with the sign of the cross. Chrism may be used for this marking. The newly baptized is “sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own for ever.” When all baptisms have been completed, the celebrant and congregation welcome the newly administered within the Eucharist as the chief service on a Sunday or another feast.
The Catechism notes that “Infants are baptized so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God.” The baptismal promises are made for infants by their parents or sponsors, “who guarantee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him” (BCP, pp. 858-859). Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saint’s Day or the Sunday following, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the First Sunday after the Epiphany).” Source: “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, a User-Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.