BAPTISM

Policies Concerning the Sacrament of
 Baptism at Little Stone Church

On behalf of  the members of Little Stone Church, we want to welcome you in the name of Christ. We are glad you have chosen our congregation in which to have your child baptized –or to be baptized yourself, if you have never been baptized.

We believe Jesus Christ wants us to welcome all persons into the fellowship of the Church, so we offer the sacrament of baptism to all who are willing to make the promises that are included in the baptismal service. You do not have to be a member of this congregation or have a Congregational background. People come to us from many backgrounds, some Christian, some secular, some from other religions.

So, in the name of Christ, we welcome you, and we hope that, as your child grows, you will know that he or she is welcome to participate in our Sunday Church worship services in future weeks, so you can get to know us better. Perhaps you will find that you want to learn more about this congregation that so many generations of families on Mackinac Island have made their “church home.”

Baptism in the Congregational Tradition

Baptism is practiced in several forms in the Congregational tradition. Infants and children may be baptized upon the request of their parents or guardians. Adults or teenagers of a discerning age may be baptized upon public profession of faith. Sprinkling is the most common manner of performing the actual baptism. We believe there is no need to rush to baptize infants. Every infant is safe in the hands of God, whether he or she has been baptized or not. Baptism by water and the Spirit is the mark of the child’s acceptance into the community of believers, into the “church universal,” and the beginning of their growth into what we hope will be full Christian faith and discipleship.

We conceive of baptism as an act of the entire congregation. The Minister acts as a representative of the congregation and, at one point in the baptism, the members of the church are asked to promise their support to the one being baptized. Our people promise our love and care as a Christian community, and our efforts to nurture the baptized child in the Christian faith.

Parents (and godparents, when they are present) are asked to promise that they will, to the best of their ability, seek to raise their child in the Christian faith, providing the nurture of the Christian church, so that the child may later come to affirm his or her baptism–usually by participating in the rite of Confirmation, sometime in their early teenage years.

Except in unusual circumstances, we do not re-baptize individuals who have already been baptized. Rebaptism is thought to carry with it the suggestion that the person’s previous baptism was somehow invalid. We recognize as valid all baptisms as they are performed in all the traditions of the Christian faith. We have no specific requirements concerning godparents. Some children have no godparents. Others may have several. During the baptism, the godparents usually stand with the parents and make the same promises the parents make concerning the nurturing of the child in Christian faith.

Those baptized at Little Stone Church receive a baptismal certificate and the baptism is recorded in the official baptismal record of Little Stone Church.

If you wish to have your child baptized, or if you wish to be baptized, yourself, please contact the Pastor to discuss the nature of this faith commitment and to plan and schedule the baptism. He can be reached at the Parsonage at (906) 847-3877 or via email at pastor@littlestonechurch.com.

Baptisms of church members and non-members take place during the Sunday worship service.   Special arrangements may be discussed for services during other days.  There is no fee for these services during Sunday worship services, however donations are suggested.  If special arrangements are made for another day/time, a donation is highly suggested.

Adopted by the Executive Board of Little Stone Church, May 16, 2015