BAPTISM & CONFIRMATION
Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is administered by the pouring of water over the candidate as the words, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” are spoken
(1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 28:19).
In baptism, the grace of God puts a person’s sin to death and brings about a new birth to righteousness, through union with Christ in his death and resurrection. All people are born sinners by nature, separated from God, but in baptism, rightly received, a person is made God’s child by grace through faith in Christ (John 3:3-5; Romans 6:1-11; Ephesians 2:12; Galatians 3:27-29).
All that is required of a person to be baptized is repentance, in which they turn away from sin; and faith, in which they turn to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and embrace the promises that God makes to them in this sacrament (Acts 2:38).
As Anglicans we baptize both adults and the children of Christian believers. This is appropriate because baptism is a sign of the covenant community of Christ's Church (Acts 2:39). Those who in faith and repentance present infants to be baptized vow to raise them in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, with the expectation that they will one day profess full Christian faith as their own in the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Holy Baptism is administered on the First Sunday after the Epiphany, at the Easter Vigil, on the Feast of Pentecost, All Saints’ Day (or the following Sunday) as well as regular Sundays throughout the Church Year. Only occasionally, due to extreme circumstances, will Holy Baptism be administered at a time other than the principal Sunday Eucharist or one of the feasts listed above.
Regular participation in the life of the Church is expected of all candidates (in the case of infants, their parents and Godparents should be active members of the Church). Parents and Godparents of infants as well as adult candidates and their sponsors for baptism will participate in a course of preparation before they are baptized.
If you would like to be baptized, like for your child to be baptized, or want to learn more about the Sacrament of Baptism, please contact us (contact@stalbanslb.org)
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation follows a mature commitment to, and a public profession of, a person's baptismal covenant with God.
The confirmand receives the laying on of the bishop’s hands with prayer
(Acts 8:14-17; 19:6).
In Confirmation, God strengthens the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian for His daily increase in their life and ministry (Acts 8:14-17; 19:6).
The Sacrament of Confirmation is made available for members of Saint Alban's Church who are in regular attendance and support the work of the church.
Those desiring to be Confirmed (and are already baptized) typically enroll in Confirmation Classes, and are then confirmed by our bishop, The Rt. Revd. Dr. Eric Vawter Menees, during his annual visit.
