Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God. (The Book of Common Prayer, 1979.)
Holy Baptism is the first of two great Sacraments established by Jesus as sure and certain means by which we receive grace from God. In Baptism an individual pledges to turn away from the empty promises of the world, the flesh, and the devil and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord. As a Sacrament, we do an outward, physical sign that God has given to reflect an inward, spiritual reality. The outward sign of Baptism is washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. An individual being baptized receives the grace of union with Christ in his death and resurrection, birth into God’s family the Church, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit.
Infant Baptism
We baptize infants and small children trusting in God to accomplish all that has been promised in the life of that child. At least one parent or guardian of the child must be baptized in order to fulfill the promise to raise the child in the Christian life and practice. Godparents also play a role in the spiritual growth of the child through prayer and example, as does the whole of the Church.
Please contact Fr. Bob to make arrangements for a child to be baptized at St. Mark’s. The preparation will familiarize Parents and Godparents with the commitment they are making in Baptism by walking through the baptismal service.