Baptism of Children

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is the essential event of Christian initiation. By water and the Holy Spirit, your child will be brought into Christ’s Body, the Church, and will then require nurturing within this Family.

As parents, you are the effective “contact persons” of the Church Family for your child at this stage and are responsible for your child’s nurturing in the Christian life. You are invited to choose sponsors (godparents) who will share with you in this responsibility and who will join you in presenting your child for Baptism.

At the time of Baptism, you, the godparents, and the St. James’ congregation will make promises on behalf of the child who is, as yet, unable to speak for him/herself. As the child grows, you will need to share with the child what has been promised and enable him/her to grow in the knowledge and love of God, and to accept the responsibilities of being a member of God’s Church.

For a Baptism at St. James’ we ask that you observe the following:

  • Parents are expected be active members of the parish, be regular in attendance for a minimum of two months prior to a Baptism and plan to continue as active church members.
  • Ideally, both parents should be baptized Christians. If not both, at least one parent must be baptized.
  • Godparents should be Episcopalian (Anglican), members of a faith community with whom the Episcopal Church is in full communion (Lutheran, Moravian, Old Catholic) or willing to actively foster the child’s formation in the Episcopal way and life.
  • Parents are required to attend a pre-baptismal conversation with Father Chris prior to the Baptism. Prospective godparents must also arrange such a conversation, which may be by phone.

For the baptism to proceed, Fr. Chris must be satisfied that the child will be raised a practicing Christian, preferably in the Episcopal Church, and that suitable godparents have been chosen.

Following are several suggestions of things you might wish to remember while preparing for the Baptism of your child and looking to the future of your child in his/her Church home:

1. Pray daily for your child.
2. Receive Communion regularly yourself and bring your child with you for a blessing at the altar.