Sacrament of Baptism
Introduction
Our Church warmly welcomes parents who come and ask that their child be baptised. At the same time, we do not want any parent to expect baptism as an entitlement or just the traditional thing to do, even though there is no personal commitment to Christ and His Church. Baptism and Communion are the two sacraments instituted by the Lord Jesus himself. Baptism is not “christening” – it is far, far more than just giving your child a name. Baptism is primarily a relationship between God and you and, therefore, our Session considers it to be highly important.
In bringing children before Almighty God, we believe that the act of baptising signifies God’s cleaning and acceptance of them. We look to God’s grace that all children being baptised will one day, by faith, confirm for themselves salvation in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It follows that baptism is a public, congregational act and private baptism would only be considered in an exceptional case, such as serious illness.
The Responsibility of Parents
We assume that parents, first of all, would love the Lord above everything and that this should be shared with their children.
In the Baptism Service parents publicly declare that they:
- are committed Christians.
- want their child to come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and to grow up to serve Him, in daily life and in the Church.
The Responsibility of the Congregation
The congregation also has an important part to play in that it promises to pray for the child and the parents, so that the child may come to know God and love and serve Christ through the power of the Spirit.
Requirements
The requirements of Killinchy Church fully reflect the guidelines set out by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland:
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It is necessary that at least one parent professes faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
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The parents ought to be married and living together.
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The parents and other children, if any, should be attending church regularly.
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The parents do not have to be communicants but will be encouraged to become so.
Special Circumstances
We are a “can do” Church and will handle all exceptional pastoral situations with love and sensitivity. Therefore, when a child is born outside of marriage, the matter should be discussed with the Minister.
Practical Arrangements
Parents will be required to attend a series of 4 Baptism Preparation Courses over a period of 4 weeks and these will each last about an hour.
Please arrange a talk with the Minister in good time to discuss details.
The dates of Baptism Preparation Courses and “Baptism Sundays” are all shown on the Church Calendar.