Bishop Eric Menees
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Diocese of San Joaquin,
We in the diocese and the ACNA have been truly blessed with
our new prayer book, the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. Thus far, we have examined
the services of Holy Eucharist, Morning Prayer, and Evening Prayer. This week
we turn our examination to the service of Holy Baptism.
Baptism is, of course, the primary sacrament of the Lord as
everything else is based upon our being made Christians through this rite of
initiation.
I am blessed to have been baptized when I was 14, being both
aware of the sacrament and its meaning in my life. My children are blessed by
having been baptized as infants and growing up in a Christian home where they
have been raised and formed in the faith. Our life in the church all starts
with Baptism and we are blessed as Anglicans by its robust liturgy. As we come
to a close of the Season of Pentecost, I commend the following from page 160 of
the 2019 BCP.
I pray you all have a very blessed last Sunday of Pentecost
and Feast of Christ the King this Sunday.
CONCERNING HOLY BAPTISM
In Holy Baptism, the outward and visible sign is water, in
which candidates are baptized “in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit” (MATTHEW 28:19). The inward and spiritual grace is death to
sin and new birth to righteousness, through union with Christ in his death and
resurrection (ROMANS 6:1-11).
Holy Baptism is appropriately administered within the
Eucharist as the chief service on Sunday or other Holy Day. In this way the
Congregation may welcome the newly baptized into Christ’s Church, and may be
reminded of the benefits which they themselves received and the profession
which they made in Holy Baptism.
The Bishop, when present, is normally the celebrant.
Each candidate for Holy Baptism is to be sponsored by one or
more baptized persons, who are themselves committed to Christ and commended by
the example of their own holy living. Sponsors of adults and older children
present their candidates and thereby signify their endorsement of the
candidates and their intention to support them by prayer and encouragement in
the Christian life. Sponsors of infants, commonly called godparents, present
their candidates, make promises in their own names, and also take vows on
behalf of their candidates.
Adults and older children are to be instructed in the
meaning of Baptism and the Christian faith. Godparents and sponsoring parents
are likewise to be instructed in the meaning of Baptism, in their duties to
help new Christians grow in the knowledge and love of God, and in their
responsibilities as members of the Church.
The minister shall encourage parents not to defer the
Baptism of their children.
No comments:
Post a Comment