Baptism is the celebration of the gift of life that God gives and an acknowledgement that that gift comes from God. The rite of Baptism is an initiation into the Christian Community where were nurture and grow with one another in our common life in Christ. We at St. Aidan’s are committed as a congregation to celebrating baptisms together within the context of our Sunday Liturgy.

The picture at the top of this page shows a newly baptised baby, carried by one of the servers. The baby is being greeted by the congregation of St Aidan's who have promised to support her in her journey as a Christian.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What preparation is required for baptism?

Prior to the baptism, we ask that you engage in a preparation event. During this time we will reflect together on the meaning of baptism and the promises we will make together in our Baptismal covenant. We will go over the order of service for the Baptism where we will celebrate as a community of believers. The following are some questions to consider.

What place does God have in our lives?

What place does the Church have in our lives?

Are we striving to practice our faith?

What sort of faith do we want for our children?

Where do we intend to go to church?

How should Godparents be selected?

Godparents for adults and older children are asked for their endorsement and support - through prayer and example - of the candidate. Godparents of infants, in addition to support, are asked to take vows on behalf of the candidate. When selecting Godparents, it is important to select people who are able to make these promises with integrity, as they are taking on an important responsibility in the candidate's life. St. Aidan’s asks that at least one of your Godparents be a baptized Christian.

How many Godparents should a candidate have?

It is entirely appropriate for parents to act as the sole sponsors for their children. It is often meaningful and appropriate to have Godparents, but not necessary. You do not need to have any set number of Godparents. A person can be baptized with only one sponsor. In fact, every candidate is sponsored by the whole assembled congregation who make vows to help support his or her formation as a Christian.

Is there a fee for a baptism?

There is no fee for a baptism at St. Aidan's. For those who wish to make a contribution to the ministry of our parish as a sign of thanksgiving and commitment, an envelope is provided and a tax receipt will be issued.

What happens after Baptism? Baptism is the beginning of a journey of faith. It is a choice to engage that journey of faith within a community of faithful people. If you are having your child baptized, this is an intentional choice to nurture your child's spiritual being, just as we choose to nurture our children's physical, mental, and emotional being. Worshipping with the community of faith is a foundational aspect of engaging this journey and being faithful to the promises of baptism. We offer a Nursery and Children's Program at our 10:00 am Sunday Services and invite the families of all the newly baptized to grow with us in our community of faith.

Above: Preparing the Font for a little sister's baptism Click here to open the application for Baptism form. Use Print with Preview in the File menu of your browser and select Shrink to Fit if necessary. You may also request a paper copy at the church. For more information, please contact the Rector at 905-845-6111.