Baptism Ceremonies

Traditional Christening Ceremony

Introduction

Welcome to each one of you. My name is ___ , and we're here today to participate in the Christening Sacrament, and to give thanks and celebrate our joy in the arrival of a precious child.

[Mom] and [Dad] want to share their joy with you and they look forward to your continuing involvement with their child's life in the years ahead. They are also aware of the great responsibility that is now theirs. A great deal of their lives will be involved in caring for their child, and guiding him/her through the many paths of life.

As the years go by, their role as parents will be assisted and enhanced by each one of you here today, as well as by the friends and family that are unable to be here.

The Christening of a child is an important rite of passage to those that recognise the role that God plays in our lives.

The Bible tells us that it is God's will that children be brought to him for blessing. We are reminded of a story in the book of Matthew, chapter 19, where little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. Jesus' disciples felt perhaps that the children were not important enough to warrant Christ's time and energy, and they turned them away.

However, Jesus said:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these".

Then he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on each of them, and blessed them... Let us pray.

Dear Lord, as we gather here , may your Holy Spirit surround us and rejuvenate us. We pray that out of your glorious riches, you may strengthen this child with your Spirit, so that Christ may dwell in his heart though faith. And we pray that this child, being rooted and established in love, may know the love of God that surpasses all knowledge, so that he may be filled to the measure with the fullness of God. Amen.

I will now ask the parents to present (bring forward) their Child to be Christened.

(To the Parents) - You are presenting your Child for Baptism. Historically Baptism asks several simple questions: First, as parents are you people of Faith?
(Answer) Yes we are

Will you do your best to provide a home where faith and spirituality are part of the nurturing of this child?
(Answer) Yes, we will.

Do you acknowledge this day that God's love is already at work inside this Child? (Answer) Yes, we do.

Prayer

God our creator, we thank you for the wonder of new life and for the mystery of human love. We thank you for all whose support and skill surround and sustain the beginning of life. We thank you that we are known to you by name and loved by you from all eternity.

God Parents Section (OPTIONAL)

[Mom] and [Dad], have you chosen godparents for your child?
Yes, we have.

Please have them come forward.
(Baby given to godparents)

Do you the God Parents, with the help of God, you do all that you can to help and support [Mom] and [Dad] in the bringing up of their child?
(Answer) We will.

Question for Witnesses.

Do you the witnesses give your love and support to this family wishing them all blessings this day?

God our creator, we thank you for the gift of this child, entrusted to our care. May we be patient and understanding, ready to guide and to forgive, so that through our love he may come to know your love; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer

Father, we ask that you pour your blessings into this water, and sanctify it for our use today. In Christ's name.

(The minister takes [Child] from the god parents or parents , holds him/her and says: )
[Mom] and [Dad], what name have you given your child? ________

The Baptism

(The minister makes the sign on the cross on Child's forehead with the blessed water from the 'font'.)
And, by the authority vested in me by God and his Church, I hereby baptize you in the name of the Father (cross),
and of the Son (cross),
and of the Holy Spirit (cross), Amen.

As Jesus took children in his arms and blessed them, so now we ask God's blessing on this Child. (as [Child] is returned to [Mom] and [Dad]).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise you for this child's birth - surround him/her with your blessings that he/she may know your love, be protected from evil, and know your goodness all his/her days. May he/she learn to love all that is true, grow in wisdom and strength and, come through faith to the fullness of your Grace.

May God the Father of all bless these parents (and godparents-supportive friends and family) and give them grace to love and care for their child. May God give them wisdom, patience and faith, and help them to provide for this beloved child's needs.

Eternal Father, we thank you for the rich variety of the families you have created for us, and for the relationships which we see and enjoy within them. Help us to respect and learn from each other. We thank you too for love that binds the families that are here today, and ask your blessing on them.

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of an earthly home, bless the home of this child, may it provide shelter, warmth and security to the family and to all those who visit.

All this we ask in Jesus's name, Amen.

Closing:

[Child] - today we officially welcome you. We wish you long life and much happiness.
May you face all challenges that come to you as a person of integrity,
May you continue to bring great joy to your parents, your grandparents, family, friends, and to all those who come to know you.
May beauty delight you and happiness uplift you,
May wonder fulfill you and love surround you.
May your step be steady and your arm be strong,
May your heart be peaceful and your word be true.
May you seek to learn, may you learn to live.
May you live to love, and may you love - always.

Benediction

The Lord bless you and watch over you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord look kindly on you and give you peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always.

And now, to Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before Him; to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Presentation of Baptism certificate and Introduction

You may choose from one of the ceremonies listed here, or you may craft your own ceremony. We offer the following completed ceremonies:

All of our ceremonies may be modified to your requirements. We also provide a collection of Religious Readings or Non-Religious Readings which may be incorporated into any of our ceremonies.

Baptism Ceremonies Explained

A Baptism Ceremony is not just for babies; children of any age can have a Ceremony. One of our experienced Ceremony Celebrants, (Lay Officiant, Minister or Chaplain), will be pleased to perform your Baptism Ceremony for your son or daughter. All of our Celebrants are highly trained and qualified; they all share the goal of providing you with a memorable ceremony and special day. They do not represent any religion, we conduct the ceremony you want, your way.

It is IMPORTANT to note that in these nondenominational Baptism ceremonies, your child is not Baptized into any particular Church, but the parents do receive a beautiful Baptism certificate. The nice thing about this Baptism ceremony is that later in life should your child make a personal decision to unite with a faith community of the child's own choice, your child will be able to present themselves as a fully Baptized person.

[Photo - We can condust the Ceremony at the location of your choosing] Most Baptisms are held in homes or other suitable venue like a hotel, reception facility, etc. Some families even hold the ceremony in a park or other natural setting. The ceremony can be held at a location and time convenient to all concerned. We usually ask the Celebrant closest to you to conduct the ceremony.

You may wish to include your older children in the Baptism or Naming Ceremony as well as your new baby. The Ceremony is the perfect opportunity to declare your promises to your child before family and friends. It's also the perfect opportunity to involve relatives, such as grandparents, and maybe other adult friends. It is nice to have supporting adults or God parents, allowing them to confirm their special relationship with your child and share their promises at the ceremony in front of you and the guests.

A family has several options:

They can choose a Baptism Ceremony or a Naming ceremony from above and simply use the ceremony as is.
They can choose a ceremony and then personalize the ceremony to make it uniquely theirs. We have a number of Religious or Secular (Non-Religious) Readings that you may choose from, or provide one of your own.
Some families even write their own Baptism or Naming Ceremony; the choice is yours.

No matter which option you choose, we will help you find the right ceremony to create the perfect celebration your family and friends will cherish and remember always.

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More information about our Baptism Ceremonies.

Can the ceremony be bilingual?: Yes in some communities. Ask the office for information.
Is a meeting or rehearsal necessary?: Not normally. However you may consult with your celebrant by phone and email if you have questions for clarification.
How long is the ceremony?: The length of ceremonies varies. Budget anywhere from 15 minutes to a half an hour depending on the number of options and changes you make to the ceremony.
What does the Celebrant need from you on the day of the celebration?: If you make changes to a ceremony they will need the final draft of the ceremony 14 days prior. Then just a few words with you before to the ceremony to go over last minute details and a small bowl of water for the ceremony.
Can I decorate my home?: Yes. Most people have candles, flowers, and a small container of water. Some place memorial pictures or special pictures of baby. Have a camera handy!
Is there a Souvenir Record of the event?: Yes, a beautiful souvenir Certificate is presented at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Do these Ceremonies have legal status?: Unlike birth registration, where you receive a copy of the birth certificate which is a compulsory legal requirement, these ceremonies are simply a celebration that you as parents choose to do as a public gesture of love and commitment to your child. The certificate you receive may in some cases help your child enroll in certain schools later in life.
I have two children, do I pay an additional fee?: There is an additional administration fee of $20.00 for each additional child. Each receives a ceremony certificate.
Can we organize a Ceremony on short notice?: Usually the answer to this is yes, but is dependent on the availability of the Celebrant and venue you have selected.
Can we hold a Ceremony at the same time as we get married?: Yes. A Naming or Baptism Ceremony can be held at the same time.

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