Baptism is an initiation into the Christian Community. The candidates for Holy Baptism are adult converts to Christianity and the children of practicing Christians.
We are committed as a congregation to celebrating baptisms together within the context of our Sunday Liturgy. The following dates are scheduled for future baptisms:
Prior to the baptism, the office will contact you to confirm the date of baptism – at this time we can answer any questions you might have. The clergy will be in contact with you to set up a time to meet. The 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.
Godparents often want to attend the prepatory events, and we encourage you to invite them. However, since many Godparents are from out of town, we do not require it.
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.
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.
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, a donation (by cheque, cash or etransfer) can be made and a tax receipt will be issued.
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.
Worshiping with the community of faith is a foundational aspect of engaging this journey and being faithful to the promises of baptism. We offer a Children’s Program at our 10:30 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 check with the office for more information.
For any questions about baptism, please call our Church office at 905-844-3972 or E-mail the office