“What are you waiting for? Get up! Be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.” 

(Acts 22:16)

 

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Baptism is one of the Church’s sacred mysteries.  It is a sign of being born into something new, and of being given a fresh new start in Jesus.  God welcomes us into His life, and Baptism is one of the ways that we can say ‘Yes’ to that invitation.  At Living Waters we understand Baptism to be a significant Christian commitment, in which we make several promises to God:

  • we affirm our faith in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
  • we promise to continue in the Apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers;
  • we promise to persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever we fall into sin, to repent and return to the Lord;
  • we promise to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ;
  • we promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbours as ourselves;
  • we promise to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human life.

Baptism is your promise, supported by your family, friends and the entire congregation, based on your faith and membership in the church, to raise your child to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ or to be a faithful follower yourself. It is introducing your child to God’s love and care from the very beginning of his or her life.

Choosing to have your child Baptized comes from the wonderful parental instinct to want the best for your child.  When we Baptize infants and young children, parents (and sponsors) have a special role to play.  Parents (and sponsors) take on the Baptismal promises on behalf of their child, promising to show them what it means to be a follower of Jesus during the formative years of childhood and adolescence, in the hope that one day, their child will confirm the Baptismal promises made on their behalf for themselves.  In the meantime, parents (and sponsors) hold those promises in trust. As a sign of the special role they have in their child’s spiritual upbringing, parents (and sponsors) promise to do two things in Baptism:

  • to raise their child as an active part of the Christian community;
  • to raise their child in the faith in the home.

At Living Waters, we are committed to helping parents (and sponsors) live out these Baptismal promises so that it is a meaningful experience and the beginning of a life-long relationship with Jesus Christ.

Like any journey of great significance, the road to Baptism takes time. We generally hold baptisms twice a year: once in the fall and once in the Easter season. If you are interested in Baptism, either for yourself or your child, a great first step is to book an appointment to meet with our Lead Pastor, the Rev. Christopher Doering, to have a conversation about Baptism. He is looking forward to speaking with you!

We want you to be confident about the promises you will make in Baptism, and ask that you participate in a Baptismal Preparation program that will provide an overview of the Christian faith in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.  In the weeks leading up to the Baptism, we will introduce you, your child, and others preparing for Baptism to the entire congregation.  We will ask for the church’s prayers and support as you prepare to take this important step in faith.

We also encourage you to find a rhythm of regular worship. Joining our church community for weekly worship will give you a clearer sense of whether you would like to be a part of our Living Waters family, as well as strengthen and encourage your own faith, and help equip you to teach your child about following Jesus. Our experience is that worshiping with us regularly for 3 months can help form a solid basis for the promises you will make in Baptism.

Click here for more information about our Sunday morning worship.

For more information about our growing Children and Youth Ministry, please contact Allison Insley, our Youth Pastor or Brenda Windatt, our Children’s Ministries Co-ordinator.