Bringing Your Child for Baptism at St. Andrew's United Church

What is Baptism? Why do we baptize our Children?

The Sacrament of Baptism proclaims and celebrates the grace of God. Through the visible sign of the water and the invisible presence of God’s Spirit we are called and claimed and commissioned; we are called God’s own and given our identity as children of God. We are claimed by Christ, united with Christ, united with each other, and with the Christian community in every time and place. We are commissioned to Christ’s ministry of love and peace and justice, strengthened by the Holy Spirit for the work of Christ’s church in the world.

Since children cannot understand what is being done, their parents and the church act on their behalf. The parents promise to bring their children up in the Christian faith. We, the church, promise to help and support them. It is our hope and prayer that when they are old enough to understand, they will speak for themselves, and choose to re-affirm their faith and their identity as Christ’s people. With this understanding, at the time of a child’s baptism we will ask parents these questions…

Questions and Promises for the Parents:

Will you share with your child your faith and will you provide a home and surroundings that will awaken in him/her a capacity to love, and a desire for peace and justice?

    We will, with God’s help.

Will you help your child to reject those things that promote evil and injustice, and to affirm those things that promote life in him/her, and life in the world ?

    We will, with God’s help.

Do you promise to bring your child into the Christian community to worship, to hear the stories of the roots of our faith, to be called into response to the Gospel, and to be in relationship with other believers, as he/she grows into a personal choice of faith in God?

We promise, with God’s help.

In response, the congregation will make its own promise to the parents and the child:

A Promise by the Congregation:

As a baptized and baptizing church, we commit ourselves to support and uphold you within a community which worships God, loves and serves others, seeks justice and resists evil. May God grant us all the grace to live out our baptism.

A Commitment by Godparents

Some parents may choose to name someone as "Godparents" for their children. This is an optional and purely formal role of support and care for the child and for the parents. (Important !! : Naming a legal guardian for your child is a separate matter best discussed with a lawyer!)

We will ask those named as Godparents the following question:

As those named as Godparents/Sponsors, will you commit yourselves to the loving support of this child, and of these parents, as they work to live out their promises in the days ahead.

We commit ourselves, with God’s help.

Planning For Your Child’s Baptism

Normally baptisms take place during a regular Sunday morning congregational worship services at 10:00 am, usually on the second Sunday of the month. We ask the parents of baptism candidates to take part in an information session with one of the ministers and a representative of the congregation that takes place on an evening in the week prior to the baptism day. There we will walk through the baptism service together, talking about the significance and meaning of this important event in your child’s life, your life, and the life of the congregation.

As baptism is a celebration, sign and sacrament of the Grace and Love of congregation, so when planning for this special day, please be sure to include time immediately following the service to join the rest of the congregation at fellowship time in the church hall. All your special guests are most welcome!

To inquire further about baptism or to arrange for your child’s baptism please call the church office 780-962-0488 or email the

With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you!

We are members together of the body of Christ. We are children of the one God and inheritors of God’s promise. In Christ’s name we welcome you into the household of faith!

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