“Come to the Waters” (Isaiah 55:1) 

Please use the form below to let us know you are interested in Baptism or Reaffirmation of Baptism on Nov. 17, 2024. There will be a preparatory meeting on Nov. 11 at 6:30 PM in the Pepper Pike conference room in the offices.

Baptism is every Christian’s entrance into ministry and is the foundation for our life together as members of the body of Christ. Baptism is our public declaration of our faith in God. Even Jesus presented himself for baptism. In baptism we die to life without God (Romans 6:3) and are born anew of water and the Spirit (John 3:3-8). In the United Methodist Church we do not re-baptize because we believe that baptism is a once-made covenant that cannot be repeated. If you have been baptized previously you can reaffirm your baptism.

FOR BAPTISM

Persons of any age may be baptized because Christ’s body, the Church, is a great family that includes persons of all ages. On the day the Church was born, Peter preached: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children” (Acts 2:38-39). The New Testament repeatedly records that when a believer was baptized, the believer’s whole household was baptized (Acts 16:15, 33; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:16). 

Children and others who have not reached the developmental stage of making decisions for themselves are presented by parents and/or sponsors (godparents) who make the same profession of faith that a candidate would make and who promise to nurture the candidate(s), in their family and in the church family, so that they will come to accept God’s grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly, and to lead a Christian life. 

FOR BABY DEDICATION

Some parents prefer to dedicate their children to God and allow their children to receive baptism when they are older. In dedicating their child, parents/guardians are acknowledging God's grace, mercy and sovereignty not only over the child, but also over themselves. They present their child before God and God’s people (1 Samuel 1) asking for grace and wisdom in loving and nurturing their child. Parents also come praying that their child might one day trust Jesus Christ as Savior. God has told us to us not only to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to learn to recognize and follow his voice but also to teach our children to do the same (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).