We would love to baptize your baby. No one seriously seeking this holy sacrament of Jesus Christ is turned away. The decision to baptize someone is made by the Council of the church. The Council is open and willing to baptize any child whose parent(s) has been adequately prepared for the solemn vows they are about to undertake. At least one parent must be baptized (you may be baptized at the same time), and take the vows.

Baptism is a holy sacrament prescribed by our Lord Jesus Christ and thus a serious commitment which requires parents of babies and children to make a series of solemn promises. The vows of Baptism are the same as the vows for church membership (in other words, once you have your child baptized, you will become a member of the church which brings with it certain responsibilities of discipleship). In order to take these vows, you must understand what Christian discipleship means.

Baptism, therefore, is not to be undertaken lightly, for the sake of sentiment, superstition, or because of pressure from family members.

When your child is baptized, the congregation will also stand and make a solemn promise to help nurture your child in the faith, and support you in raising your child. So we need to get to know you! We do not expect our congregation to make this serious promise about a child they do not know.

In the United Church tradition, baptism is a Sacrament. We have only one other Sacrament in the United Church, and that is the Sacrament of Holy Communion. A Sacrament has been defined as "an outward and physical sign of an inward and spiritual grace." This means that baptism is a sign of God's love present and at work in the child being baptized and in the congregation. Because baptism is a Sacrament, it is to be treated with great respect, and it is never to be entered into lightly.

Because baptism has become very common in our culture, and because different denominations have different understandings of what baptism is, it is important for us to state that in the United church tradition we believe that God loves every child whether or not that child has been baptized. We believe that God's love is active in every child from the beginning. God's love for the child does not begin at baptism. This means that according to United Church Beliefs, people who die without having been baptized will not be condemned, lost or damned because they have not been baptized. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, nor a magic charm for life. Please give this point careful consideration when you are making your decision about your child's baptism.

In the United Church, as in many other Christian denominations, baptism is primarily an act of initiation. Through baptism Christians are made part of the universal Christian Church, and, specifically, the United Church of Canada and Gilmore Park congregation. In the United Church we believe that God's love is not in any way dependent upon our ability to understand it, and so we practice infant baptism as well as adult baptism. Because little children cannot themselves make the decision to be baptized, their parents or guardians and the church act on their behalf. In baptism, children officially become Christians. Our hope is that they will grow in the faith and that when they are old enough to decide for themselves they will choose to be Confirmed. Confirmation is an act through which people make public profession of their faith and are accepted as full members of the United Church of Canada.

Newcomers to the church (those not normally in regular attendance) are required to be adequately prepared, which normally involves: a) an appointment with the Minister b) regular attendance at Sunday Worship (qualified nursery care provided) c) small group involvement, or other means for spiritual growth for at least 3 months.

The Sacrament of Baptism is normally celebrated twice a year at Gilmore Park United. The Sundays are usually the Reign of Christ (late November) and the first Sunday after Easter.

Please contact the Church Office for further details. We would be happy to send you further information in the mail, including the baptismal vows.