 In the Episcopal Church the rite of
baptism follows the formula laid out in the Book of Common Prayer. In this
rite, the candidate (or the candidate’s sponsors if a child is being baptized) is
required to renounce Satan, repent of their sins, and accept Jesus as their
Lord and Savior. In the Episcopal Church, as in the ancient church, infants are
also baptized so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in
Christ, and redemption by God. In the Episcopal Church there may be slight
differences in how this sacrament is conveyed. However, water is always used and most Episcopal churches
sprinkle water on the head of the candidate and some may also use holy oil as a
sign of sealing the covenant between God and the newly baptized.
If you are an adult, and wish to baptized, we encourage you to talk to our parish priest who will work with you individually to prepare for the rite of baptism, confirmation, or reception into the Episcopal Church. Parents of babies and young children who are being presented for baptism should also notify Fr. Floyd to schedule this service. Parents will need to schedule an appointment with Fr. Floyd as part of baptismal preparation. Godparents are not required to be Episcopalian, but they do need to be baptized Christians. The pastoral session with parents (and godparents if possible) will include time to share and imagine what it means to raise a child in the Christian life today, as well as the roles of parents and godparents. Our conversation will lead us to exploring the Church’s teaching of baptism as we find it in the Book of Common Prayer.
CLICK HERE to fill out our baptismal record request form. |