What is the difference between a baptism and thanksgiving?
We offer two services to parents. • Baptism is initiation into the church community (the community engaged in the ongoing mission of God) and involves water as a symbol of a new life in Jesus Christ. The Christian parents who are members of this community make vows or promises on behalf of the baby who cannot speak for himself or herself. The Godparents are Christians who also agree to help pray for and encourage the child in their walk with Jesus. • Thanksgiving is for people who are not members of the Christian community, but want to say thank you to God for their child. The minister asks for God to bless the child. The parents and friends do not make vows (such as declaring an allegiance to Jesus Christ) but do pray that they will bring up the child with Christian values and that the child may one day choose to follow Jesus. Note: Both services take place within a Sunday church service. There is no such thing as a private baptism. Also, although in church culture there is no differe
