Baptism is an initiation into the Christian Community. We are committed as a congregation to celebrating baptisms together within the context of our Sunday Liturgy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What preparation is required for baptism?

Prior to the baptism, we ask that you join us for four preparation events. There will be three meetings (two weekday evenings and one Saturday morning) scheduled for all of the households involved in the baptism, and we also request that you attend our worship service the Sunday prior to the baptism. In all of these gatherings, our purpose is to take time to reflect on the meaning of baptism, to develop relationships and a sense of community between those who are involved in the baptism, as well as with the rest of the congregation.

Are Godparents required to attend the classes?

Godparents often do want to attend the classes, and we encourage you to invite them. However, since many Godparents are from out of town, we do not require it. In many situations, Godparents do try to at least attend the Saturday date since this is the time in which we run through the logistics of the service, assign seating, and so on.

How should Godparents be selected?

Godparents for adults and older children are asked for their endorsement and support - through prayer and example - of the candidate. Godparents of infants, in addition to support, are asked to take vows on behalf of the candidate. When selecting Godparents, it is important to select people who are able to make these promises with integrity, as they are taking on an important responsibility in the candidate's life. St. Jude's asks that at least one of your Godparents be a baptized Christian.

How many Godparents should a candidate have?

It is entirely appropriate for parents to act as the sole sponsors for their children. It is often meaningful and appropriate to have Godparents, but not necessary. You do not need to have any set number of Godparents. A person can be baptized with only one sponsor. In fact, every candidate is sponsored by the whole assembled congregation who make vows to help support his or her formation as a Christian.

Is there a fee for a baptism?

There is no fee for a baptism at St. Jude's. For those who wish to make a contribution to the ministry of our parish as a sign of thanksgiving and commitment, an envelope is provided and a tax receipt will be issued.

What are Parish Sponsors?

At St. Jude's, our entire congregation is committed to a ministry of hospitality, discipleship, and formation. We believe that we grow together in the Christian life, that we are called to support one another as a community as we grow as human beings and come to know God more deeply. In every possible way, we hope to find ways of helping you to participate in, and receive strength from, our community of faith. Parish sponsors are members of our congregation who offer themselves as companions to the baptismal candidate and the candidate's household as they begin to make decisions about how they will faithfully live out their baptismal promises within this particular community. Your parish sponsor will be assigned to you, and you will have an opportunity to meet with him or her several times before the baptism.

What happens after the baptism?

Baptism is the beginning of a journey of faith. It is a choice to engage that journey of faith within a community of faithful people. If you are having your child baptized, it is an intentional choice to nurture your child's spiritual being, just as we choose to nurture our children's physical, mental, and emotional being.

Worshipping with the community of faith is a foundational aspect of engaging this journey and being faithful to the promises of baptism. We offer a Nursery and Children's Program at our 9:30 Sunday Services. We also have a quieter Wednesday morning mid-week service which may work for families with a more erratic schedule. We are looking for ways of making our worship more accessible for families with busy and irregular schedules and we appreciate any input that you can give us about your needs and hopes from St. Jude's.

Throughout the week, there are numerous ways of connecting with people and growing in faith. There are mission and service opportunities, Bible studies and education programs, specialty groups and social gatherings. Please visit our website www.stjudeschurch.net, or check with the office for more information.

As a particular follow-up-to-baptism opportunity, we invite the households of the newly baptized to participate in a Parents Group which meets the fourth Thursday of every month. This is a group particularly formed around the questions, concerns, and experiences of parents who are in the midst of raising children. It is a chance to meet other people at a similar stage in life, as well as a time and place to engage questions of how we understand our faith to challenge and shape us and our children within the world we live.

Where do I get more information?

For any questions about baptism, please call our office. Rev. Aaron Orear is the clergy contact for further information about any of these opportunities. Phone: 905-844-3972 or E-mail: curate@stjudeschurch.net

Please note the scheduled dates for baptism are as follows: