A Community Approach to Infant Baptism
The most recently Baptized who is able, or volunteers from within the community, reads:
Each of us is born of the water of our mothers.
Only those who are born of water and Spirit will see the reign of God.
Being born of the water and Spirit is the beginning of our salvatory journey.
A journey nurtured in community, giving a glimpse of God’s reign, through our church community. This community calls for accountability to our Christian mission, our part in continuing the work of God. The church community encourages individuals, and all the church collectively, to ever more closely reflect the will of God.
In Baptism, when we are born into the Spirit, we are also born into the family of Christ’s body. Becoming siblings, all birthed of the same body, the Church. Christ’s body doing the work of God and representing the ever-present Good News of the Gospel on earth. Each of us, (look up and gesture to the group) are participants, doulas, and helpers in re-birth, the baptism of our new sibling in Christ. We remember our own baptismal vows and reaffirm our commitments to each other and God. As a sign of our commitment to each other and to demonstrate our support to nurture our new sibling, let us reaffirm our commitment to Christ and each other.
All: (gathering around the Baptismal font)
We surrender to God’s will, the parts of our humanity that cause sin and evil.
We confess that we still perpetuate sin and evil and humbly ask for forgiveness,
mourning the times, we’ve hurt others and denied ourselves Christ’s grace.
Christ’s grace is our comfort.
Comforted, we boldly reclaim the freedom only found in salvation.
Salvatory grace that emboldens us to grow
Closer to each other and sanctifies us to God,
We reclaim our inheritance as full members of the family of God in Christ.
We will choose to be merciful, genuine, and vulnerable,
Living in justice and goodness,
Setting aside pride and vanity to be promoters of peace,
because we are each and all beloved children of God.
Let us rejoice and gladly welcome our new sibling.
The parents or sponsors and the child are invited to step up to the Baptismal font inside the circle of believers. The pastor or other faith leader of the community describes the purpose of infant baptism.
We believe in and worship a God whose grace knows no bounds. Our God is faithful and operates outside our human constraints of time and space. We believe that God’s grace bestowed in baptism is available to us for the rest of our lives. Children are essential to the ministry of this church and the witness of God’s work. We welcome all who seek admittance into the body of Christ. We enthusiastically welcome this child today.
The oldest baptized member or longest baptized member reads as they are able:
Do you promise to teach this beloved child about our God. Teach them to see that the same Creator who separated the waters from the sky, created the universe, painted the beauty of all of our earth, and created them with the same care? That this child is an imprint of the image of God?
Sponsor of Candidate: We will nurture this child as a beloved child who bears the image of God.
Will you teach this person to be accountable for their actions? That sometimes our decisions or even mistakes, can work against the will of God?
Sponsor of Candidate: We know that We are human and accept that we make mistakes. We will teach this child with grace, that no mistake is too big to separate them from Christ, but admitting to them and learning from them helps us grow.
We believe that baptism is the beginning of our journey to realizing the reign of God on earth. This one act of baptism is the first step in Christian discipleship, it bestows the a promise of the Spirit and enables each of us to practice reflecting God’s goodness. God always keeps God’s promises, so there is nothing you can do that will ever separate you from God’s grace through Christ. Do you believe that God keeps God’s promises?
Sponsor of Candidate: Through the scripture and witness of the church, we see that God keeps God’s promises and will teach this child the same.
There are no actions that will disable the Spirit’s work in the life of this child. There is nothing any of us can do that is too big or wrong for Christ’s grace. Only our reception can limit our ability to embody the goodness of God. Do you believe that Christ’s grace, God’s Goodness, and the presence of the Spirit are enough to exonerate any sin or evil? Will you teach this truth to this child?
Sponsor of Candidate: I believe that God’s Grace is enough and will embody it in our nurturing of this child.
Will you teach this child to choose to be merciful, genuine, and vulnerable for the sake of justice and goodness?
Sponsor of Candidate: Yes.
Will you teach this child to set aside pride and vanity to promote peace?
Sponsor of Candidate: Yes.
Each of us has promised to work to remember the full goodness with which we were created. We have promised to help each other and work for justice in our societies so that we may all remember the image of God’s goodness and promises that we represent as Christ’s body, the church. We promise to humbly listen to your critiques and embody the Good News you bring to the Gospel. Will you include this child in keeping each of us accountable to our Christian mission and promises to each other?
Sponsor of Candidate: Yes, we promise.
Do you promise to humbly hear constructive advice and embody the truths from our community that bring you closer to the goodness of God? Will you raise this child in the same humility?
Sponsor of Candidate: Yes, I promise to hear and embody the Good News.
The whole community should gather around the water, reaching out their arms toward the baptismal font. Baptized members should take turns reading the following statements:
Holy Separator of the Waters, You created a holy space for us to flourish, ordaining through creation a safe and nurturing home for us.
Holy Drawer of the Rainbow, you transformed the arrows of flooding rains into a promise of protection and sustenance for the future.
Holy Parter of the Sea, You delivered your people from danger to safety and covenant in the desert.
You are the Promised Land for your people.
All: Let us Rejoice and be Glad.
Holy Submitter to Time and Space, You became fully human, remaining fully divine, joining us in birth by the waters of Mary.
Holy Healer and Miracle Worker, The presence of Your divinity was made evident in wonderful works of healing and rectifying of communities.
Holy Preacher and Teacher, You became human to teach us how to be human and realize our own divinity through You.
Holy Christ, You submitted, in your full humanity to the most human of actions, birth and death.
Holy Conqueror of Death, Your divinity was greater than the power of death. You conquered death in resurrection. Teaching us that we can find ultimate freedom in you.
You brought the Promised Land to all people.
Holy God Who Was and Is and Is to Come, You give us freedom to live now, as if your reign has begun. You promise that one day, the Gospel of your Reign that we embody, will become a reality to all people in our world.
You will welcome all of creation to the Promised Land.
In the waters of baptism, are all of Your promises made and kept, and all promises that we believe You will keep.
In these waters are all the promises we make to each other and to you. These waters are the womb of the Spirit life. Let us each remember our own baptisms.
Baptized members should each touch the water and touch their hearts or foreheads. The baptismal font should be accessible to all members, but any who are not able to gather around should be brought as close as possible and blessed baptismal waters taken to them. They each should remember their baptisms in place, as they are able or as they can accommodate the practice to their needs. Each baptized member should have a chance to touch the waters in blessing.
The child will be presented to the baptismal font, each baptized member should bless the sponsors of the child to be baptized, placing hands on them or reaching out in their direction.
Let us doula our new sibling into a new life in You.
The pastor or faith leader will take a palmful of baptismal water and pour it over the head of the child.
You are baptized in the name of God in Heaven, Father of Jesus, Mother of all Creation, The Promised Land.
A second palmful of water is poured over the head of the child.
You are baptized in the name of Christ, The Fully Human and Fully Divine, Son of Mary, Son of God, Embodied Wisdom Sophia
A third palmful of water is poured over the head of the child.
You are now born of the Spirit, the very presence and workings of the Triune, The Spirit that hovered over creation. You are ordained to make and keep the promises of God, enabled by the Spirit and nurtured by this community to live into the realm and reign of God. Your life is now a witness to the goodness of God. Welcome!
The parents or family of the newly baptized reads, as they are able:
Triune God,
We pray for the life and witness of our new sibling, we pray we may love and support them and collectively all grow more in your likeness. Please open us to the Good News they’ll reveal to our community as a reflection of your ever-revealing image. Give us patience and flexibility to incorporate their wisdom. In your wisdom Holy Sophia, root us in holy scriptures and traditions that draw us closer the reign of God and mutual flourishing. We pray we are instruments of your will. Bless and keep this and all our siblings, born of the body of Christ. Let us be a blessing to all of creation and glorifying to you. Amen.
The newest baptized member is presented to the congregation. Cheering and celebration should ensue as is appropriately accommodated for the newest member, snapping or shaking of hands in lieu of cheering as needed. Leaders should prompt all members in the community to pass the peace, greeting each other, and embracing. Encourage all members to greet each other and thoroughly welcome the newest baptized in the manner most appropriate for that individual.
Following baptism, praise and singing should occur followed by a communal meal where communion takes place.
Communion
Each believer should take turns reading the part of the leader throughout the liturgy, the liturgy should be passed around like the cup and the bread.
In everything, O God, you have exalted and glorified your people,
All: you have not neglected to help us at all times and in all places.
You gave your people the food of angels, and without their toil, you supplied them from heaven bread to eat…Your sustenance manifested your sweetness toward your children.2
All: Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness and yet delivered they still died.
Pass
Christ I am the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. The living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.3
All: Holy Holy Holy is Christ and the works of the Triune God
Pass
Christ’s flesh and blood was given for the life of the world. Christ’s Spirit was given for the life of the world and ascended to heaven. On the first day of the week, in the dark, Mary exclaimed “I have seen the Lord.”4 Christ in flesh and spirit overcame the world and death in resurrection. Jesus bid all believers peace and mandated “as the Father sent me, so I send you.”5
Believers pass the peace to each member, embraces, handshakes, encouraging words should be said among all
Pass
In remembrance, just as Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them 6 we break bread together.
All: Together we answer our call.
(Believers break the bread and pass it along the table, each serving the next, the newly baptized should be the first to take communion)
All: Amen
Pass
Christ taught us: Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day, for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them.7 We abide together in Christ and remember his sacrifice. Wine is the very life to human beings, 8
All: We seek the cup that endures for eternal life, which you have given to us.9
(Believers pass the cup and drink or dip the bread in the wine, each serving the next)
All: Amen
Pass
God in heaven, you are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy. For even when we sin we are yours, knowing your power; but we will not sin because we know that you acknowledge us as yours. For to know you is complete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality. Christ’s sacrifice of body and blood, changed into all forms of mercy, serving an all-nourishing bounty, so that your children, whom you loved, O God, might learn that it is not the production of crops that feeds humankind but that your word sustains those who trust in you.10
All: We trust in the sustenance of your word.
(Believers reach to touch the bible, sharing a few among themselves, pausing to include their neighbors)
Pass
Your immortal Spirit is in all things. The Spirit hastens to make themselves known to those who desire.11 Thus corrects little by little those who trespass, and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin, so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O God.12
All: Make us holy, able to observe holy things in holiness.13
Just as Christ was sent into the world, so Christ has sent us into the world. Christ sanctified for us, so that we also may be sanctified in truth. Sanctified for us and all those who will believe through our witness, a pureness that pervades all things.14
All: May we all be one, sanctified in our witness.
(Believers join hands around the common table)
Pass
As God in heaven is in Christ, and Christ in the Spirit, may all believers also be in the Triune, a reflection of eternal light and life, a spotless mirror of the workings of the Triune God, and an image of God’s goodness. The glory of God in heaven given to Christ, was given to us through the Spirit, One Triune God, who can do all things while remaining in one God, renews all things. In every generation the Triune passes into holy souls, making them friends of God and prophets. The Triune reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other and orders all things well.15
All: In God’s glory and righteousness, in one voice, let us praise the Triune God.
Alleluia. Alleuia. Alleiua.
(Believers, as they are able, raise hands, still joined in praise)
