Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptising
them in the name of the Father
and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ...
Congratulations!
The
birth of a baby is the happiest of events in any family.
The Baptism (or Christening) is a happy event too, shared by all of us in
the wider family of the Church.
It
can take place either during the 10am Family Service or towards the end of the
11.15 am Parish Worship. After some words of introduction, the parents are asked
to stand and acknowledge "the
duty of those who present their children for baptism to confess the faith
wherein they are to be baptised and to promise to bring them up in that faith
and in the way of Christ and his Church".
This
is done by saying "I do" to these three questions:
·
Do you present your child
for baptism, desiring that s/he may be grafted into Christ as a member of his
body and family, the Church?
·
Do you believe in God, -
Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and do you confess Jesus Christ as Saviour and
Lord?
·
Do you promise, depending on
the grace of God, to teach your child the truths and duties of the Christian
faith; and by prayer and example to bring him/her up in the life and worship of
the Church?
Any
godparents then stand alongside the parents and answer "I do" to the
following question:
·
Acknowledging your responsibility as a godparent, do you
promise to love, pray for, help and encourage (this child)?
The whole congregation is then invited to stand and, after a short prayer by the font, the Minister will take the baby into his arms. After the baptism, the blessing is sung by the congregation and the baby returned to his/her mother. Everybody sits and a further prayer is offered for the baby and the family.
Click
here to open a form to complete your child's Baptism details.
If
you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with:
The
Reverend Neil Gardner
The Manse of Canongate,
Edinburgh
EH8
8BR
Tel:
(0131) 556 3515; Mobile 07753 801755