Baptisms
Beliefs and Practices
Q. What is Holy Baptism?
A. 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.

Q. What is the outward and visible sign in Baptism?
A. The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water, in which the person is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace in Baptism?
A. The inward and spiritual grace in Baptism is union with Christ in his death and resurrection, birth into God’s family the Church, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit.

Q. What is required of us at Baptism?
A. It is required that we renounce Satan, repent of our sins, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Q. Why then are infants baptized?
A. Infants are baptized so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God.

Q. How are the promises for infants made and carried out?
A. Promises are made for them by their parents and sponsors, who guarantee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him.
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 858)

Guidelines
The recommended times for Baptism are at the principal Sunday liturgy on the following days: Sunday following January 6 (Baptism of Our Lord), Saturday night before Easter Sunday (Easter Vigil), seventh Sunday following Easter Day (Day of Pentecost), and the first Sunday in November (All Saints’ Sunday). Other Sundays are also possible dates.

Preparation
Parents and sponsors/Godparents meet with the rector the Saturday before the Sunday of the Baptism.

Weddings
Beliefs and Practices
The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage is worship in which God blesses the couple, and family, friends, and parishioners witness the joining together in Holy Matrimony. The couple enters into the covenant of marriage reverently and deliberately and the congregation promises to uphold these two persons in their marriage.

Guidelines
The norm in The Episcopal Church is that the couple is married in the church in which they worship.
The usual fee for the use of the building, the parish musician and bulletins is $1,000. Other expenses may include flowers and additional musicians and staff. The parish hall is available for a reception following the liturgy.

Preparation
The rector meets with the couple six times to assist them in exploring such topics as family systems, effective communication, conflict resolution, shared faith, and planning the wedding.

Burials
Beliefs and Practices
The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. (Book of Common Prayer, p 507.)

Guidelines
The usual fee for the use of the building, the parish musician and bulletins is $500. Other expenses may include flowers and additional musicians. The parish hall is available for a reception following the liturgy.

Preparation
Christians are encouraged to talk with friends, family, and clergy about end of life issues, including medical directives, burial liturgies, ongoing care of survivors, and a faithful understanding of physical death and life after death.