Baptism

Baptism is a sacrament, a sacred act through which God offers new life in Jesus Christ. It is rich with meaning, and the Scriptures use several images to help us understand what God is doing in this moment:

Forgiveness and cleansing. In baptism, we are washed clean. God removes the guilt of sin and sets us apart as his own. This is the imagery of Ezekiel 36:25, Hebrews 10:22, and 1 Peter 1:2 — water as a sign of God’s purifying grace.

Death and resurrection. Baptism is a picture of dying to the old life and rising to the new. As Paul writes in Romans 6:3 4, we are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life.

The gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is also a sign of God pouring out his Spirit upon his people. On the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed that those who repent and are baptized will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) — the fulfillment of God’s promise in Joel 2:28–29.

Together, these images tell one story: in baptism, God forgives us, unites us with Christ, and fills us with his Spirit. It is the beginning of a lifelong journey of growing in faith, discovering community, and living into God’s calling for our lives.

We practice baptism in three historic forms, each rooted in Scripture and carrying its own biblical meaning. All three point to the same grace of God. What matters most is not the amount of water, but the work of God in the life of the one being baptized.

Immersion — being fully submerged in water — follows the imagery of Romans 6:3–4, where baptism is pictured as being buried and raised with Christ. It is a vivid sign of dying to the old life and rising to the new.

Pouring — water poured over the one being baptized — reflects the language of Joel 2:28–29 and Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit is poured out on God’s people. It is a sign of the Spirit coming upon us and filling us with new life.

Sprinkling — water sprinkled on the one being baptized — echoes the biblical imagery of cleansing and consecration found in Ezekiel 36:24–27, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 12:24, 1 Peter 1:2, and Isaiah 52:15. It is a sign of Jesus cleansing us from sin and setting us apart as his own. Sprinkling is the most common form in our tradition, but all three are offered and equally valid.

You are welcome to choose the form that is most meaningful to you.

During the baptism service, you, or your child, will be baptized with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We will pray for you, celebrate with you, and welcome you into the life of the church.

If you are an adult or youth, you will have the opportunity to profess your faith; to declare publicly your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

If you are bringing a child, you will make promises to raise them in the faith, and the congregation will stand with you in that commitment. Baptism is not just a private moment between you and God; it is a communal act, and the church takes seriously its responsibility to walk alongside every person who is baptized.

Yes. Baptism is received only once. We trust that God is faithful to his promises and that he never gets a baptism wrong. For this reason, we do not practice re-baptism, regardless of the mode used or the age at which it was received.

If you were baptized in another Christian community in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we fully recognize that baptism. You do not need to be baptized again. If you are looking for a way to reaffirm your faith publicly, we would be glad to talk with you about other meaningful ways to do that.

We believe that God’s grace is at work in every life from the very beginning. Children are embraced by the love of Christ and belong within his kingdom; not because of anything they have done, but because of who God is and what he has promised.

Because of this, we baptize infants and young children. This is not a statement of their achievement or understanding. It is a witness to God’s initiative, a declaration that his grace goes before us, reaching us before we are even aware of it. In this sense, the baptism of a child is one of the most honest things the church can do: it shows that salvation has always been God’s work, not ours.

In baptism, children are received into the care of the Church and marked as members of the household of faith. This places a sacred responsibility on parents and the congregation alike, to nurture them, teach them, pray for them, and guide them toward a living and personal faith in Jesus Christ.

As they grow, children baptized in infancy are invited to respond personally to the grace that was first given to them. Through their own profession of faith, typically in a confirmation process, they take hold of the life God has already begun in them. Baptism is not the end of that journey. It is the beginning.

No. Faith often begins with a step, not certainty. If you are sensing a desire to move toward God, even if you still have questions, baptism may be part of your next step. We would be honored to walk with you, answer your questions, and help you discern what is right for you or your family.

If you are interested in baptism for yourself or your child, we invite you to fill out the form below. Once you do, a member of our team will reach out to you to talk through next steps, answer any questions, and help you prepare.