Steps Toward Baptism
Like any journey of great significance, the road to Baptism takes time. Our Fall 2017 Baptism date is October 22. (future dates will be added soon). Practically speaking, you’ll want to plan ahead, allowing 6-9 months for the following steps to unfold:
◦ Start the conversation – A great first step is to book an appointment to meet with Andrew Federle, our Interim Priest-in-Charge, at afederle@stclements-church.org to have a conversation about Baptism. He’s looking forward to speaking with you.
◦ Find a rhythm of worship – Joining our wider community for weekly worship will give you a clearer sense of whether you’d like to be a part of our church 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 worshipping with us regularly for 3 months helps form a solid basis for the promises you will make at Baptism. Click here to see which of our worship services might work best for your family’s rhythm.
◦ Participate in our Christianity 101 Course – We want you to be confident about the promises you make. Our 5-week Christianity 101 course deals with the basics of the Christian faith in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and is offered several times a year. And don’t worry, you can’t fail the course! You can find out more about the course, when it’s next offered, and register here.
◦ Be presented to the congregation – In the weeks leading up to the Baptism, we’ll introduce you, your child, and others preparing for Baptism, to the entire congregation. We’ll ask for the church’s prayers and support as you prepare to take this important step.
◦ Rehearse – Generally held the Sunday prior to the Baptism, the rehearsal will give you a clear sense of what to expect on the day of, and provides a great chance to ask any remaining questions. This session is essential for the immediate family; sponsors or godparents are also strongly urged to attend.
For more information about our growing Children’s Ministry and Nursery program, please contact our Director of Children’s Ministry Sydney Caron scaron@stclements-church.org
Adults
If you’re an adult seeking Baptism we’d love to meet with you personally, to get to know you, and discuss your unique situation. Please email Andrew Federle, our Interim Priest-in-Charge, at afederle@stclements-church.org to have a conversation about Baptism.
When children are to be baptized, we include the parents intimately in the preparation process because:
◦ We want to help you be ready to make those promises for your child.
◦ We want to equip you to be able to answer your child’s spiritual questions.
◦ We believe that faith is formed best in families and we wish to nurture this quality of your life together.