7. Believe and Trust: Holy Communion with Baptism

Believe and Trust:

Holy Communion with Baptism

Notes

Type of service

¶    A fully worked out sample, suitable for local reproduction (note that it does not include all the words required by the president);

¶    Designed to be suitable for regular use and for a variety of contexts.

This service is designed for use at the baptism of infants. It could be adapted for use with adult candidates.

The candidates with their parents, and also those who are the ministers in this service, will need careful preparation.

This form of the service is a fairly simple version of the Baptism service, within a celebration of Holy Communion, for use by the congregation. It may help to give the parents, godparents and others a copy of the service, in this simplified form, to study at home.

For the Baptism of Children at A Service of the Word (without a celebration of Holy Communion), see Common Worship: Initiation Services.

Some points to note

¶    The presentation of the candidates has been placed in its alternative position, near the beginning of the service, rather than immediately before the Decision.

¶    Other people – parents, sponsors, godparents – may be invited to sign the candidate with the cross.

¶    Careful thought should be given to the location for each part of the service, and to the movement of ministers, parents, godparents and candidates to and from the font.

¶    Some points are suggested for hymns, but they may come elsewhere. A hymn might be sung, for instance, while those taking part – or the whole congregation – move to the font.

¶    Eucharistic Prayer E gives the opportunity for a short Eucharistic Prayer with a Proper Preface relating to baptism (see Common Worship, page 362), but Eucharistic Prayers A, B, C and G are also suitable for use with the service printed out in this form.

¶    If there is a Blessing, it should come before the Giving of a Lighted Candle.

If a local leaflet is being produced for this service, it may be helpful to include the Pastoral Introduction to Holy Baptism from page 345 of Common Worship, which is printed below.

Pastoral Introduction

This may be read by those present before the service begins.

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 that can be brought home vividly by the way the baptism is administered. Water is also a sign of new life, as we are born again by water and the Spirit. This reminds us of Jesus’ baptism. And as a sign of that new life, there may be a lighted candle, a picture of the light of Christ conquering the darkness of evil. Everyone who is baptized walks in that light for the rest of their life.

As you pray for the candidates, picture them with yourself and the whole Church throughout the ages, journeying into the fullness of God’s love.

Jesus said,‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’

John 10.10

Believe and Trust: Holy Communion with Baptism

Texts printed in bold without ‘All’ in the margin are spoken by candidates, parents and godparents alone.

Greeting

Singing, Scripture sentence, Greeting, Introduction or Prayer, which includes

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you

All   and also with you.

Presentation of the Candidate(s)

The candidate(s) may be presented to the congregation.

The president addresses the whole congregation

Faith is the gift of God to his people.

In baptism the Lord is adding to our number

those whom he is calling.

People of God, will you welcome these children

and uphold them in their new life in Christ?

All   With the help of God, we will.

The president says to the parents and godparents

Parents and godparents, the Church receives these children with joy.

Today we are trusting God for their growth in faith.

Will you pray for them,

draw them by your example into the community of faith

and walk with them in the way of Christ?

With the help of God, we will.

In baptism these children begin their journey in faith.

You speak for them today.

Will you care for them,

and help them to take their place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church?

With the help of God, we will.

The Collect

The president says the Collect.

Reading(s)

At the end of each reading this response may be used

This is the word of the Lord.

All   Thanks be to God.

A psalm or scriptural song may follow.

When the Gospel reading is announced the reader says

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to N.

All   Glory to you, O Lord.

At the end of the Gospel reading this response is used

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All   Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

The Decision

The president addresses the candidate(s) through the parents and godparents

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light.

To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him.

Therefore I ask:

Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?

I reject them.

Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?

I renounce them.

Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?

I repent of them.

Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?

I turn to Christ.

Do you submit to Christ as Lord?

I submit to Christ.

Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?

I come to Christ.

Signing with the Cross

A minister makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the candidate(s) using these words

Christ claims you for his own.

Receive the sign of his cross.

The president may invite parents, godparents and sponsors to sign the candidates with the cross. When all the candidates have been signed, the president says

Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified.

All   Fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ

against sin, the world and the devil,

and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life.

May almighty God deliver you from the powers of darkness,

restore in you the image of his glory,

and lead you in the light and obedience of Christ.

All   Amen.

Prayer over the Water

The ministers and candidate(s) gather at the font.

Praise God who made heaven and earth,

All   who keeps his promise for ever.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All   It is right to give thanks and praise.

The prayer over the water follows.

This response may be used

Saving God

All   give us life.

The prayer ends

All   Amen.

Profession of Faith

The president addresses the congregation

Brothers and sisters, I ask you to profess

together with these candidates

the faith of the Church.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?

All   I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?

All   I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?

All   I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Baptism

The president or another minister dips each candidate in water, or pours water on them, saying

N, I baptize you

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

All   Amen.

The president says

May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church,

pour upon you the riches of his grace,

that within the company of Christ’s pilgrim people

you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit,

and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory.

All   Amen.

Commission

A minister addresses the congregation, parents and godparents, and prays for them.

Prayers of Intercession

The Welcome and Peace

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism:

N and N, by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.

All   We welcome you into the fellowship of faith;

we are children of the same heavenly Father;

we welcome you.

The congregation may greet the newly baptized.

The president introduces the Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you

All   and also with you.

Preparation of the Table

The table is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it. These responses may be used

With this bread that we bring

All   we shall remember Jesus.

With this wine that we bring

All   we shall remember Jesus.

Bread for his body,

wine for his blood,

gifts from God to his table we bring.

All   We shall remember Jesus.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you

All   and also with you.

(or)

The Lord is here.

All   His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

All   We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All   It is right to give thanks and praise.

The president praises God for his mighty acts and all respond

All   Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

[Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.]

The president recalls the Last Supper.

This acclamation may be used

[Praise to you, Lord Jesus:]

All   Dying you destroyed our death,

rising you restored our life:

Lord Jesus, come in glory.

The Prayer continues and concludes either

All   Amen.

(or)

All   Blessing and honour and glory and power

be yours for ever and ever.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

All   Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever.

Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread

to share in the body of Christ.

All   Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

Giving of Communion

The president invites the people to receive communion.

Authorized words of distribution are used and the communicant replies Amen.

A prayer follows the distribution of communion.

Giving of a Lighted Candle

Each candidate may be given a lighted candle.

When they have each received a candle, the minister says

God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness

and has given us a place with the saints in light.

You have received the light of Christ;

walk in this light all the days of your life.

All   Shine as a light in the world

to the glory of God the Father.

The Dismissal

Go in the light and peace of Christ.

All   Thanks be to God.

A service from New Patterns for Worship. Compilation copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2002.