BAPTISMS
At Holy Spirit, persons of all ages are welcome to be baptized into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptisms typically occur during regular Sunday morning services and are particularly appropriate at the following times: the Baptism of our Lord (the First Sunday after the Epiphany), the Great Vigil of Easter, the Day of Pentecost, All Saints’ Day, and whenever the Bishop is visiting. Parents and Godparents make the baptismal vows on behalf of infants and small children who are unable to speak for themselves. Older children and adults may speak for themselves. A rehearsal and time of instruction takes place before the service. Parents, godparents, and older baptismal candidates are required to attend this time of instruction.
Holy Baptism is a sacrament of the Church, an outward and visible sign of God’s inward and spiritual grace. According to The Book of Common Prayer, “Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God.” The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water, in which the candidate is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In the Episcopal Church, we baptize people of all ages, including infants, “so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God” (page 858 in the Prayer Book).
For more information about the sacrament of Holy Baptism or to schedule a baptism, please contact our Parish Administrator, Daniel Coleman.
WEDDINGS
To find a partner with whom you want to share your life is a sacred gift, and we consider it a great blessing when two people make the choice to have their marriage blessed in the presence of God and God’s people. In the Episcopal Church, we celebrate the vows two people make to one another in marriage and ask for God’s blessing to be upon the newly married couple to help them fulfill their vows. In our parish, we recognize the sanctity of marriage, but we also accept and affirm all people, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Contact our Parish Administrator, Daniel Coleman, if you are interested in the possibility of scheduling your wedding at Holy Spirit. Members of the parish and their families are given priority for scheduling. We follow the guidelines of a wedding customary in order to assure clear communication and to make sure it is easy for you to make your wedding plans.