Baptism Liturgy

…to the whole congregation:

Faith is the gift of God to His people.  In baptism, the Lord is adding to His Church those whom He is calling.  People of God will you welcome [Name] and uphold him in his life in Christ?

With the help of God, we will.

…to the parents & Godparents:

Parents and God-parents, the Church receives [Name] with joy.  Today we are trusting God for his growth in faith.  Will you pray for him, draw him by your example into the community of faith, and walk with him in the way of Christ?

With the help of God, we will.

In his baptism, [Name] begins his journey in faith.  You speak for him today.  Will you care for him, and help him take his place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church?

With the help of God, we will.

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light.  To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him.  Therefore I ask:

Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?

I reject them.

Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?

I renounce them.

Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?

I repent of them.

Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?

I turn to Christ.

Do you submit to Christ as Lord?

I submit to Christ.

Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?

I come to Christ.

Parents and God-parents are given copies of a Gospel as a symbol of their commitment to trust in and follow Jesus Christ and His teachings.

Signing with the Cross:

Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of his cross.  Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified.

All: Fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil, and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life.

The minister prays for those being baptised.

Confession of faith:

Brothers and sisters, I ask you to profess together with [Name]’s parents and God-parents the faith of the Church.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Parents & God-parents, is this your faith?

This is my faith.

Baptism:        

[Name], I baptize you

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism:

Thomas, by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.

We welcome you into the fellowship of faith;

we are children of the same heavenly Father;

we welcome you.

Questions to discuss in Meet-Up Week

Congratulations on organising a meet-up for this week, beginning 19th. Hope you have a great time encouraging each other in your discipleship projects!

Of course, the conversation can be a wide-ranging one, and you may have things you’d like to talk and pray through that aren’t covered by these topics. But it would be helpful if you covered some of these questions as well:

What is different about your Christian faith as a result of DTP? What are you doing differently?

What does your Rule of Life look like (Q&A 252-255)? How has it changed over the last year? What do you want it to look like by the end of the DTP cycle? How are you planning to build into that?

What are you struggling with at DTP? What would help you as you navigate that?

How has this year’s teaching and reflection affected your engagement with Sunday services?

What would say to someone who felt that DTP wasn’t for them because it was too ‘challenging’?

How would you describe ‘spiritual maturity’?

The Gospel comes with a Housekey

‘The practise of Biblical hospitality…’. I wonder what that phrase conjures up in your mind? Here is a compelling portrait of the dynamics of genuine hospitality in discipleship and evangelism. Rosaria draws from her book ‘The Gospel comes with a Housekey’. I warn you though - it is one of the most moving and heart-searching books I’ve ever read. Rosaria’s own story is an insight into the devestating grace of God in redeeming some of the most unlikely people… and brings an integrity to her teaching that I suspect some of you will find disturbing.

If she’s right though (and for the record I think she is) this is a book that will expose patterns of sin in places you haven’t even realised you had! It teaches us to see our home as ‘not our own, but as God’s gift to be used for the furtherance of His Kingdom’.

p.s. it’s worth having a look at Rosaria’s videos on Youtube. She speaks to a wide variety of issues, from abortion to LGBTQ, from feminisim to repentance and preferred pronouns!!

Atomic habits

One of the most helpful books on developing better habits is James Clear’s Atomic Habits. Here’s a 30 minute overview, introducing some of the key ideas in the book… stick with it, and have a think about how to implement new habits with reference to your Rule of Life.

The Church of England & Sacraments (Art 25-31)

XXV. OF THE SACRAMENTS

SACRAMENTS ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.

The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.

XXVI. OF THE UNWORTHINESS OF THE MINISTERS, WHICH HINDERS NOT THE EFFECT OF THE SACRAMENT

ALTHOUGH in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments, yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ's institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally being found guilty, by just judgement be deposed.

XXVII. OF BAPTISM

BAPTISM is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.

XXVIII. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

THE Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

XXIX. OF THE WICKED WHICH EAT NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THE USE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

THE Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing.

XXX. OF BOTH KINDS

THE Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike.

XXXI. OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST FINISHED UPON THE CROSS

THE Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.