The Sacrament of Baptism

A Brief Description from the United Church of Christ Book of Worship

A person is incorporated into the universal church, the body of Christ, through the sacrament of baptism. The water, words, and actions of the sacrament are visible signs that convey the Christian’s burial and resurrection with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-4). The invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the water and upon the candidates for baptism is an affirmation that it is God who takes the initiative in the sacrament. “Baptism is both God’s gift and our human response to that gift.” It is “a sign and seal of our common discipleship. Through baptism, Christians are brought into union with Christ, with each other and with the church of every time and place.”

In the United Church of Christ people are baptized either as children or adults. Baptism should occur only once in a person’s life. Baptism with water and the Holy Spirit is the mark of their acceptance into the care of Christ’s church, the sign and seal of their participation in God’s forgiveness, and the beginning of their new growth into full Christian faith and life.

When an infant or young child is baptized, one or both parents and/or one or more sponsors promise to assume certain responsibilities for the Christian nurture of the baptized child.

Baptism is not only a personal celebration in the lives of the individual candidates and their families, but also a central celebration in the life of the local church which embodies the universal church in a particular place. For this reason, baptism should take place in the presence of the community of faith gathered for public worship. In officiating at a service of baptism, the pastor acts as a representative of the church universal.

UCC Theology

When you meet with the Pastor, the Pastor will go over the vows, the theology/meaning of this sacrament, and the logistics of the baptismal service.

Common Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Baptism

The Pastor follows the expectations of the “Common Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Baptism” (2011) for officiating the sacrament, reassuring you that the baptism you receive with us will be more universally accepted by a wide range of denominations, especially those of the Reformed and Roman Catholic denominations.

Next Steps - Meeting with the Pastor

If you are interested in being baptized and/or having your child baptized, the next step is to contact the Pastor to hear about your interest, share with you more about the theology of this sacrament, answer your questions, and to schedule and plan the baptismal service.