Baptism Basics

 

Baptism is a marker of the beginning, not the end of a journey.  The journey is not merely one that goes from birth to death.  It is a journey toward discipleship.  

 

Discipleship – learning to be like Jesus – is not easy.  (And, for the record, Jesus never said it would be! )    Those who seek to be Baptized in an Episcopal church community promise that (with God’s help)… 

• We will continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.
• We will continue in the breaking of bread.
• We will continue in the prayers.
• We will persevere in resisting evil.
• When we fall into sin, we will repent and return to the Lord.
• We will proclaim by word and examples the good news of God in Jesus.
• We will seek and serve Jesus in all persons.
• We will love our neighbors as ourselves.
• We will work steadily for justice and peace among all people.
• We will respect the dignity of every human being. 

The discipleship road is best walked with a group, a community.  It is for this reason that Baptism at St. Peter’s takes place within our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist.  We (the community and the newly baptized person) are beginning a shared journey.  We are agreeing to support each other on the journey toward discipleship, and to look toward each other for wisdom – the kind of wisdom that challenges us to ever more faithfully strive to live the commitments taken up in Baptism.  

 

The community into which we are baptized should become our spiritual home until life’s circumstances lead us to engage with a faith community elsewhere.