Sunday April 18th

These words, prayers and readings will be used in today's service. You can use them independently to prayerfully reflect on your own baptism or as part of the service. 

Presentation of the Candidates

Faith is the gift of God to his people. In baptism the Lord is adding to our number those whom he is calling. People of God, will you welcome these children and uphold them in their new life in Christ? With the help of God we will.

Parents and godparents, the Church receives these children with joy. Today we are trusting God for their growth in faith. Will you pray for them, draw them by your example into the community of faith and walk with them in the way of Christ?

With the help of God we will.

In baptism these children begin their journey in faith. You speak for them today. Will you care for them, and help them to take their place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church?

With the help of God we will.

The Decision

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 your 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.

Signing with the cross

The minister makes the sign of the cross on the forehead and says:

Christ claims you for his own.

Receive the sign of the cross

Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucifed.

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.

May almighty God deliver you from the powers of darkness, restore in you the image of his glory, and lead you in the light and obedience of Christ. Amen.

Prayer over the Water

Praise God who made heaven and earth,

who keeps his promise for ever.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

A prayer over the water

Father, we give you thanks and praise

for your gift of water in creation;

for your Spirit, sweeping over the waters, bringing light and life;

for your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, baptised in the river Jordan.

We bless you for your new creation,

brought to birth by water and the Spirit,

and for your grace bestowed upon us your children,

washing away our sins.

May your holy and life-giving Spirit move upon these waters.

Restore through them the beauty of your creation,

and bring those who are baptised to new birth in the family of your Church.

Drown sin in the waters of judgement,

anoint your children with power from on high,

and make them one with Christ in the freedom of your kingdom.

For all might, majesty, dominion and power are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Profession of Faith

Let us affirm together with these who are being baptised, our common faith in Jesus Christ.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist?

I believe and trust in him.

Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?

I believe and trust in him.

Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world?

 I believe and trust in him.

This is the faith of the church.

This is our faith.

We believe and trust in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Baptism

N I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

May God who has received you by baptism into his Church, pour upon you the riches of his grace, that within the company of Christ’s pilgrim people you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit, and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory. Amen

Baptism Prayer

Little child, for you Jesus Christ has come,

he has fought, he has suffered.

For you he entered the shadow of Gethsemane

 and the horror of Calvary.

For you he uttered the cry “It is finished!”

For you he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven

 and there he intercedes – for you little child even though you do not know it.

But in this way the word of the Gospel becomes true.

“We love him, because he first loved us.

The Welcome and Peace

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism:

N and N, by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body.

We welcome you into the fellowship of faith;

we are children of the same heavenly Father;

we welcome you.

We are all one in Christ Jesus.

We belong to him through faith,

heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you

and also with you

The Giving of the Lighted Candle

 Jesus is the light of the world and he wants us to shine for him. May this candle be your reminder to shine for him day by day.

Bible Reading: 1 John 3: 1-7

3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Prayers of Intercession

On this day that the Lord has made,

let us pray for the people he has redeemed.

That we may live as those who believe in the triumph of the cross: R

That all people may receive the good news of his victory: R

That those born to new life in the waters of baptism

may know the power of his resurrection: R

That those who suffer pain and anguish

may find healing and peace in the wounds of Christ: R

Let us commend the world, in which Christ rose from the dead,

to the mercy and protection of God.

Open prayer may be offered and silence is kept.

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever.

Amen.