Holy Baptism
SECOND STEPPING STONE
In the sacrament of Holy Baptism, God freely offers his grace and lovingly establishes a new community. It is in baptism that people become members of Christ's Body on earth, the church.
"We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as fellow members of the Body of Christ, children of the same heavenly Father, and workers with us in the Kingdom of God” (Sacrament of Holy Baptism, LBW, p. 125)
Baptism involves the combination of water and the Word. When the Word of God is with, in, and among the water in baptism, then the water brings rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Through baptism, God fulfills the promise of salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther explains baptism as a daily ritual. Baptism as a daily practice allows us to start each day with a clean slate, ready to live each moment for God. Parents are encouraged to bless their children each day which may include the child being blessed by the laying of the hands or marked with the sign of the cross on their forehead.
“In Christian love you have presented these children for Holy Baptism. You should, therefore, faithfully bring them to the services of God’s house, and teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments” (Sacrament of Holy Baptism, LBW, p. 121).
Faith Gifts from Living Springs include a faith chest, a baptismal candle and a baptismal blanket. The faith chest is used to keep all the resources for nurturing faith at various milestones in this young persons life. When the child has grown through adolescence and is ready to move out from home, the young adult will take the faith chest, filled with faith resources, with them. No matter how old they are, no matter where they go or what they choose to say or do, they will always be God's Children living and growing in faith and community.