As they say, “honesty is the best policy”. Churches everywhere are coming to terms with the reality that we haven’t done well with baptism preparation. Baptism is the entry into the fellowship of the Church, yet many parents, godparents, and sponsors aren’t given the opportunity to really understand the significance of the promises they’ll make, nor to figure out how a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ should be just the first step in a life-long journey of discipleship.

Last month the Education Committee launched a uniquely Northern course to prepare families for baptism. It is offered in 6 sessions, it walks people through our God-given hopes for a future, and the reality that we were created for relationships with God and others, though sin gets in the way. It teaches about the new identity offered as a child of God, and that coming to believe that God has adopted us as “Our Father” means we should learn to imitate Christ in our daily life. Session 5 is meant to be a feast, casting a vision of the Church as a body that gathers around a table, rather than faith being just an individual affair. Finally, the commitments made at baptism are taught in an easily-understandable way. Each session has a full-text teaching script so anyone can lead the study, and is complete with biblical practices to try at home as well as activities to present the faith to elementary aged brothers and sisters who might be taking part. With funding from the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota, Florida, the course has been translated into three Inuktitut dialects.

Contact the Synod Office to order copies!