Baptism
Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we become united in with Christ in his death and resurrection, born into God’s family the Church, and gain new life in the Holy Spirit. We baptize people of all ages. Because baptism is one’s initiation into the Christian community and is a way of life, we prefer families planning to baptize a child to regularly participate in worship at St. Andrew’s prior to the baptism. For parents baptizing their first child and for those want a refresher, Baptism 101 is offered a few times a year to gain a better understanding of the meaning and purpose of baptism and the role of parents and sponsors.
All baptisms take place in the context of our regularly scheduled services around the following feast days: Baptism of our Lord (January), Great Vigil of Easter, Sunday after Easter, Pentecost, All Saints’ Sunday (November), Christ the King Sunday (November), and a few other weekends throughout the year. Please contact the Parish Office to determine the next available date.
Although most baptisms take place at the 10 a.m. Sunday service, we occasionally celebrate baptism at the 5 p.m. Celtic service on the second Saturday of each month.
Baptism Application
Marriage
Couples desiring to be married or have their relationship blessed (if married in a secular ceremony) at St. Andrew’s must submit a completed Marriage Application at least four months prior to the requested date of the ceremony. The Rector offers marriage to gay couples as well as straight couples.
Other Information:
- couples are required to participate in a six-session preparation course
- the liturgy used is from approved resources of The Episcopal Church
- weddings are not offered during Lent
- our worship space is air conditioned allowing guests to be comfortable for summer ceremonies
- ceremonies at other locations can be negotiated with the Rector
Funerals
As Christians, we know that death does not have the final word. Through God’s grace, Jesus has conquered death forever. Funerals are among the times that we as Christians do the task of the Church the best. We comfort one another in our grief, we gather in community, and we proclaim Christ crucified and risen. A Christian funeral is not a tribute to how wonderful you were, but instead it publicly affirms the saving power of God, as demonstrated in your life. We tell how God’s story interacts with your story. Baptismal imagery is important because it reminds us of God’s saving deeds. As Paul writes in Romans 6:5, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
Please see the St. Andrew’s Funeral Planning Guide for more information.