BABY DEDICATION

BABY DEDICATION

Parents desiring to have their baby dedicated must contact the church office to register their baby.  Children over 1 year of age can be dedicated in the Senior Pastor’s office, if this is desired.

When parents wish to dedicate their children, they should take the following steps: 1) Contact the church office and: a) Give the full name and correct of the child’s name, b) Give any other information for certificate of dedication, c) be present at orientation prior to the service, or be available to meet with the Pastor prior to the service.

Policy: We believe the dedication of children is in keeping with scriptural examples.  In the Old Testament we have record of Hannah bringing Samuel to the Lord’s house to dedicate him to His service.  We read of mothers in the New Testament bringing their little children to Jesus for His blessing.  Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord shortly after His birth (Luke 2:22).  At FloodGate Renewal Fellowship, we have such varied backgrounds represented, we feel it is important to make the meaning of the dedication service clear.  It is not a baptism.  We believe that when a child is old enough to make his own profession to faith, that baptism follows faith and is the symbol of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, a sign of the new birth.  Neither is dedication to be confused with christening service adhered to by some groups where the child is mystically made a Christian.  The Dedication service is instead and act of commitment on the part of the parents to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Spirit, in a Christian home.  It is a time to acknowledge our children as a gift from God and ask his guidance in rearing them to an early acceptance of Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

In accordance with these beliefs, we charge the parents with the responsibility of raising their children according to God’s holy ordinances and anoint both parent and child with oil, praying a dedicatory prayer and presenting the family to God as individuals and a family unit.  Although infants are born into the family are usually dedicated as babes, older children may be dedicated at any time.

BABY DEDICATION PROCEDURE

1.  Call those who indicate an interest in having their baby/child dedicated.

            a. Obtain this information:

1.  Full Name & spelling of child: __________________________

2.  Name & spelling of parents: ____________________________

or those dedicating the child (i.e. grandmother).

3.  Request picture of baby to be emailed or brought to the church

to be shown on monitor during dedication service.  Give this

information to Dave Loucks (or the computer/media

director).

 

2.  Print Baby Dedication Certificates on the special “BABY” paper which is in the desk drawer under “Certificate Paper.”  Certificates are then put into Navy Certificate Holders which are ordered from Quill.

 

3.  *Acquire the Baby Bibles (pink, blue or white) and write the child’s name in the Bible, etc. (Presented To: __________ By: WestRidgeChurch (or Pastor may sign his name) Date: ________).

 

4.  Write all information in the “Care Ministry” notebook.  White notebook is located on bookcase in the secretarial office.

 

5.  Type up information and give to pastor to be used up front.

Name of Child:

Name of Parents:

(see sample on back of this page).

 

6.  Order flowers:

2 pink, 2 white, 2 red, 2 lavender/mauve (8 flowers per child) – each flower needs to be in an individual water tube.  Have the “flower set” put in tissue paper with baby’s breath.  Order flowers at the Shop ‘n Save

(724-695-1669).  Notify Tim Haig of the order placed (Tim picks up the flowers).

 

 

*Note:  Bibles are ordered from Christian Book Distributors.  You should keep a number of Bibles on hand.  We send a check to CBD and the order takes approximately 2 weeks to receive.

 

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