Preparing for Baptism in the Episcopal Church

Anne E. Kitch

• Publisher: Morehouse Publishing
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780819231710
• eBook ISBN: 9780819231727
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Denominations

A primer or refresher on the sacrament of Baptism for new parents, new members, and godparents.

This book is about preparing for Christian baptism in the Episcopal Church. While we may hear people say, "I was baptized a Methodist, " or "I was baptized Catholic, or "I was baptized Episcopalian, " people are not baptized into a denomination; they are baptized into the Christian faith. While various Christian denominations differ both their theology of baptism as it is understood and practiced in the Episcopal Church following the rite found in the Book of Common Prayer 1979.

"This short book is full of helpful information, solid history, sound theology, and thoughtful reflection. It is the perfect book to give to adults or to parents of young children seeking baptism through the Episcopal Church. I am happy that I will be able to offer this book to my students for their future use when guiding baptismal candidates. A truly welcome resource."—The Reverend Dr. Nathan Jennings, associate professor of liturgics and Anglican studies, Seminary of the Southwest

SCRIPTURE READINGS

The lessons that will be read during the rite of Holy Baptism are typically the assigned readings of the Sunday according to the church’s calendar. There will be a reading from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), followed by a psalm (either sung or read), a New Testament lesson, and a reading from one of the gospels. The following selections of scripture are also used at baptisms and may be useful for personal reflection.

FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

ISAIAH 55:1–11

Ho, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and you that have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which

is not bread,

and your labor for that which does

not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander for the peoples.

See, you shall call nations that you do not know,

and nations that do not know you shall run

to you,

because of the LORD your God, the

Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found,

call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,

and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the LORD, that he may have

mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will abundantly

pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from

heaven,

and do not return there until they have

watered the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the

eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my

mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

EZEKIEL 36:24–28

I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

FROM THE PSALMS

PSALM 15

O LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *

who may abide upon your holy hill?

Whoever leads a blameless life and does

what is right, *

who speaks the truth from his heart.

There is no guile upon his tongue;

he does no evil to his friend; *

he does not heap contempt upon

his neighbor.

In his sight the wicked is rejected, *

but he honors those who fear the LORD.

He has sworn to do no wrong *

and does not take back his word.

He does not give his money in hope of gain, *

Nor does he take a bribe against the

innocent.

Whoever does these things *

shall never be overthrown.

PSALM 23

The LORD is my shepherd; *

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures *

and leads me beside still waters.

He revives my soul *

and guides me along right pathways for his

Name’s sake.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow

of death,

I shall fear no evil; *

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of

those who trouble me; *

you have anointed my head with oil,

and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life, *

and I will dwell in the house of the

LORD for ever.

PSALM 42:1–9

As a deer longs for the water-brooks, *

so my soul longs for you, O God.

My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the

living God; *

when shall I come to appear before the

presence of God?

My tears have been my food day and night, *

while all day long they say to me,

“Where now is your God?”

I pour out my soul when I think on these things:*

how I went with the multitude and led them

into the house of God,

With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *

Among those who keep holy–day.

Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me?

Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet again give thanks to him,

who is the help of my countenance, and

my God.

My soul is heavy within me; *

therefore I will remember you from the land

of Jordan,

and from the peak of Mizar among the

heights of Hermon.

Our deep calls to another ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• A BEGINNING
• WHAT IS BAPTISM?
• A BRIEF HISTORY OF BAPTISM
• BAPTISM OF ADULTS
• BAPTISM OF CHILDREN
• PREPARING CHILDREN FOR BAPTISM
• GODPARENTS
• THE BAPTISMAL COVENANT
• THE EPISCOPAL BAPTISMAL RITE
• REMEMBERING ONE’S BAPTISM
• BAPTISMAL INSTRUCTION
• BAPTISM FAQS
• SCRIPTURE READINGS
• RESOURCES
• GLOSSARY
• CHECKLIST AND APPLICATION FORMS
• Backcover Page