Christ's Own Forever

Mary Lee Wile

Description

The Leader's Guide combines practical exercises with inspiring reflections on the experiences of individuals involved with baptism.

Clergy and lay people will find a wealth of ideas, tips, and discussion starters to help parents and godparents make informed and committed choices on behalf of their infant or young child. Christ's Own Forever is a unique resource developed with the varying needs of Episcopal communities of all sizes in mind. Flexible session plans are ideal for both one-on-one conversations with parents or meetings that include several families together.

Includes background on baptism and Christian initiation, as well as guidance on preparation for baptism in the Episcopal Church today. Guidance is provided for preparation and follow-up with parents who are parish members and those who are unchurched.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Practice
• Christian Rituals
• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Church Publishing Incorporated
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2003
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781606741740
• Langue: English

Extrait

Christ s
Own
Forever
Episcopal Baptism of Infants and Young Children
Leader s Guide
by Mary Lee Wile
For my godchildren:
Scott Hanford Stossel
Zachariah Benjamin Gluckstern
Hannah Rose Gluckstern

In memory of my godmother:
Alice Meriam Atkinson
2002 Mary Lee Wile
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Morehouse Education Resources a division of Church Publishing Incorporated Editorial Offices 600 Grant Street, Suite 630 Denver, CO 80203
Liz Riggleman, Editor Regan MacStravic, Photography Sue MacStravic, Cover Design
Printed in the United States of America.
The scripture quotations used herein are from The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version . 1973, 1977 by Oxford University Press. Used by permission.
Excerpts from The Book of Common Prayer, published by Church Publishing Corporation, 1979.
Pastoral Introduction to Baptism, p. 9, is an extract from Common Worship:Services and Prayers for the Church of England .Church House Publishing. The Archbishops Council, 2000 and is reproduced by permission.
Lyrics on p. 33 from Gotta Serve Somebody by Bob Dylan. Slow Train Coming , 1979. Used by permission of Sony Corporation.
ISBN 978-1-60674-174-0
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The deepest delight in working on this project is connecting with members of our far-flung church family. Heartfelt thanks go to all who took time out of busy lives to talk about preparation for baptism, especially Ms. Patricia Bamforth, the Rev. Richard Bamforth, the Rev. Paige Blaire, Br. Eldridge Pendleton, S.S.J.E., the Rev. Nina Pickerrell, Ms. Elizabeth Ring, and the Rev. Daniel Warren, all from the Episcopal Church in the United States; the Rev. Canon Virginia Kennerley from the Church of Ireland, the Rev. Michael Withey from the Church of England, and members of the Confirmation Task Force from the Diocese of Fredericton, New Brunswick: the Rev. Robyn Cuming, the Ven. Douglas Patstone, the Rev. Donald Hamilton, the Rev. Peter Gillies, the Rev. David Edwards, and the Rt. Rev. William Hockin.

My gratitude also extends to all those whose written words inform our practice and our prayers, and who deepen our thinking about what it means to be baptized into the Body of Christ.

And profound gratitude goes out to my husband, Rick Wile.
Table of Contents
Foreword
How to Use This Book
Introduction

Baptism: Theory and Practice
- Pastoral Introduction to Baptism from the Church of England
- Notes and Presuppositions Regarding the Baptism of Infants and Young Children
- Preparation for Baptism in the Church Today: Current Ideas and Parish Programs
Practical Notes
- Timetable
- Planning the Session(s)
- The Session(s) at a Glance
- Journal for Parents and Godparents
Part I: Preparation
- Why Baptize This Child?
- By Water and the Holy Spirit: the What of Baptism
- Promises: The Promises We Make to Our Children
- Promises: God s Promises to Us and to Our Children
Part II: Beyond Baptism
- Nurturing Family Spirituality
- Nurturing Faith Development in the Child
Baptismal Day and Beyond
- Rehearsal in the Nave
- The Baptismal Day
- As Time Goes By: Continuing Care of the Baptized
Bibliography
Foreword
FROM A PARENT
We are no longer alone in bearing responsibility for the care and nurture of this baby. That was my thought after the baptism of our first child and it washed over me like warm sunshine on a cool day. This newest child of God was embraced with the love of our Creator shining through her godparents and a whole congregation of supporters. Our little family had suddenly broadened and I relaxed into the joy and wonder of shared parenthood.
Mary Lee Wile offers suggestions for parents, godparents, friends and the whole extended family in preparing for this baptismal celebration of the whole community of believers.
All congregational leaders, from the most reserved new priest to the more experienced, will gain new ideas for talking with the young child s parents and sponsors. Lay persons representing the church family can share in the preparation sessions and then join with the parents and godparents and other family members during the service, thereby freeing the parents to relax and focus on both Word and Sacrament.
There is much flexibility in Mary Lee s guide for leaders to use these very specific materials in their own style. The journal and guide can also be used for personal reflection in contemplating the renewal of our own baptismal vows.
Patricia Bamforth
FROM A PRIEST
When I was young and thought I knew it all, I often skipped forewords, prefaces, and introductions in order to jump right into the meat of a book. Whatever your age and however learned, please note that the substance of this leader s guide is in the introductory material. A rich compendium of theological reflection and pastoral experience with baptism, it is the preparation leader s main course, not to be tasted and nibbled, but read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested.
The 1979 Prayer Book firmly establishes the primacy of the Sacrament of Baptism in the corporate life, liturgy, and calendar of the church. Mary Lee Wile s Leader s Guide and Journal for Parents and Godparents are the primers that can enliven and enlighten both the sacramental event and the Christian formation of our children, families, and congregations.
When I was a child, I was required to memorize the words of our old catechism: In baptism I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. These words still ring loud and clear in my memory and sense of identity. Although memorization is no longer a popular learning tool, these new resources will help today s church discover and affirm the good news of who and what we are.
The Rev. Richard Bamforth
How to Use This Book
How many preparatory sessions you hold with parents and godparents, and which of the following suggestions you actually follow, are entirely up to you. You know the parish, the people, and your own time constraints. Trust yourself to adapt as needed, based on your own circumstances. Those of you in small rural parishes, for example, where your candidates for baptism come from families who have lived there for generations may have different needs from those in large or urban parishes whose candidates for baptism come from a variety of settings and circumstances.
If you will be baptizing one child of an active parishioner, simplify or modify to what feels suitable to you. You might consider holding one of the preparatory sessions at the family s home. With more than one child, however, working with combined families in a group setting creates a community that can continue on past baptism-and it makes more efficient use of your time and effort.
Above all, trust your own instincts and use your own style.
A few (almost) absolutes: Get the interactive journals into the hands of parents and godparents at least two weeks before the (first) preparatory session. (A month would be even better.) This gives them time to explore their own spirituality and the depth of their commitment to the Church, time to recognize the responsibility they will promise to undertake on the child s behalf in baptism, time to familiarize themselves with the service itself. Each adult participant will need his or her own journal for this work. The journal appropriately places the majority of time in prayerful preparation on the parents and godparents rather than on you. They are, after all, the ones most immediately responsible for overseeing their child s life in faith. Give a prayer book to each family along with the journal . Plenty of inexpensive versions of The Book of Common Prayer are available, or, if time or money prevent ordering copies, loan them copies so they can read through the service for Holy Baptism on their own as part of their preparation. The Body of Christ is splendidly diverse; a unique gift that the Episcopal Church offers is The Book of Common Prayer. How we pray is an integral part of who we are as Anglicans. Giving parents (and even godparents) immediate access to such a resource is both pastoral and evangelical. (Almost) If life conspires to get the journals to you just before your first meeting, go ahead and pass them out at the meeting itself and simply allow some quiet time for parents and godparents to write responses to some of the questions, and then use their immediate answers as springboards for discussion. Encourage them to spend more time with the journals at home, and send along a prayer book for them to peruse.
Introduction

BAPTISM: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Pastoral Introduction to Baptism from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England
Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in response to God s love. For all involved, particularly the candidates but also parents, godparents and sponsors, it is a joyful moment when we rejoice in what God has done for us in Christ, making serious promises and declaring the faith. The wider community of the local church and friends welcome the new Christian, promising support and prayer for the future. Hearing and doing these things provides an opportunity to remember our own baptism and reflect on the progress made on that journey, which is now to be shared with this new member of the Church.
The service paints many vivid pictures of what happens on the Christian way. There is the sign of the cross, the badge of faith in the Christian journey, which reminds us of Christ s death for us. Our drowning in the water of baptism, where we believe we die to sin and are raised to new life, unites us to Christ s dying and rising, a picture th