Becoming a Member of St. Andrew's

If you have been baptized with water in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are a member of Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. However, in common understanding, becoming a member of the Church usually means joining a particular congregation of the Church and become a member of that denomination (Methodist, Lutheran, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, etc.). Holy Baptism is done only once and never needs to be repeated.

In this contect, there are several ways in which you may become a member of St. Andrew's Parish if you are a Baptised Christian.

First, you may attend the parish and have your Baptism recorded at the parish. You can receive the Sacraments of the Church and participate in the various ministries and activities which are part of our life. You are a member of St. Andrew's by doing this.

If you wish to become a member of the Episcopal Church then you need to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is administered by the Bishop of the Diocese, presently the Rt. Rev. Charles vonRosenberg, at his annual visitation to the parish. Confirmation is a reaffirmation of your Baptismal Vows and expresses your desire to follow the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the Church as we understand and seek to live them out. Please feel free to contact the Rector to discuss any questions about Holy Baptism, Confirmation, or what it means to be a member of the Church.

Instructions entitled Christianity in the Anglican Tradition are available for those who wish to learn more about the Church and are usually offered every Summer and at other times, as needed. It is our normal preparation for adults who wish to be Baptised and/or Confirmed.

If you have been Confirmed in the Roman Catholic or Orothodox Churches, you do not need to receive Confirmation again. You can be received by the Bishop into this part of the Church. You will need to attend the above instruction.

More about Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ's Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God. - The Book of Common Prayer, page 858

This section includes the teaching of the Episcopal Church about Holy Baptism, and guidelines for the administration of Baptism at St. Andrew's We hope that it will provide an informative and useful introduction for parents, sponsors (godparents), and family members.

If, after reading over this material, you wish to inquire further about how to arrange for a Baptism at St. Andrew's, please contact the parish office (865) 882-1272. We thank God for your interest in Baptism and we invite you to use the following prayer for those who are to be Baptized:

O God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make the hearts and minds of your servants ready to receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit, that they may be filled with the strength of his presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. - The Book of Common Prayer, page 819

The Book of Common Prayer provides the following directions for the administration of Baptism in the Episcopal Church.

• Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble.
  
  
• Holy Baptism is appropriately administered within the Eucharist as the chief service on a Sunday or other feast.
  
  
• Each candidate for Holy Baptism is to be sponsored by one or more baptized persons.
  
  
• 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 example in their Christian life. Sponsors of young children or infants, commonly called godparents, present their candidates, make promises in their own names, and also take vows on behalf of their candidates.
  
  
• It is fitting that parents be included among the godparents of their own children. Parents and godparents are to be instructed in the meaning of Baptism, in their duties to help the new Christians grow in the knowledge and love of God, and in their responsibilities as members of Christ's Church.
  
  
• Holy Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, on the Day of Pentecost, on All Saints' Day or the Sunday after All Saints' Day, and on the feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the First Sunday after the Epiphany).
  
  Baptismal Service in the Book of Common Prayer

Holy Baptism at St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's follows these guidelines for the administration of Baptism in order to help parents, sponsors (godparents), and the parish to be accountable to God and to one another for the promises and vows that are made in Holy Baptism.

Holy Baptism is administered to the children of parents who are members in good standing of this parish, or of another Episcopal church. Members in good standing are faithful in corporate worship and in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Kingdom.

The Baptism of children whose parents live outside of this parish may only be scheduled with the assurance that the promises and vows of Baptism will be fulfilled through active membership in another parish. The clergy are glad to assist families who have some historic ties to St. Andrew's and who now live in other communities to locate and to join their local Episcopal church.

The Baptism of adults requires that the person enter into a period of study on the nature of Christianity, particularly as we live it out in the Anglican (Episcopal) Tradition. It is not something to be done without considerable preparation due to the nature of the commitment involved in being joined to the Body of Christ and the way of life to which one promises to follow. Our Christiainity in the Anglican Tradition course is designed to be part of this process. The role of sponsor is also a particularly important part of this process.

All Baptisms are scheduled through the office of the Rector.

When a Baptism is scheduled, arrangements will be made with the parents for pre-baptismal instruction. We expect that godparents will be a part of this preparation.

Each candidate for Holy Baptism should be sponsored by one or more baptized persons, in addition to their parents (in the case of children). Sponsors need not be Episcopalians, but should be members in good standing of a Christian church. Parents and sponsors of children guarantee that the children will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him.

Holy Baptism is administered within the Eucharist on Sunday mornings, except in pastoral emergencies. The Rite of Holy Baptism is found in The Book of Common Prayer.

Following the direction of The Book of Common Prayer, we celebrate Holy Baptism on these occasions: at the Easter Vigil (March or April); on the Day of Pentecost (May or June); on the Sunday after All Saints' Day (November); on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (January); and on other Sundays throughout the year, as scheduled by the Rector.

 

More about Confirmation