Sacraments

What Are Sacraments?

A sacrament is an outward, physical sign of an inward, spiritual grace.  There are two sacraments that Jesus himself instituted and calls us to partake of: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. In each sacrament, the truth of the Gospel is proclaimed through the stuff of matter and symbol.

Holy Communion

Since the very beginning of the Church, followers of Jesus have gathered together to share a common meal as a continual reminder of the life that we have received through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Christ commanded his followers to partake of bread and wine as a remembrance of his sacrificial body and blood (Mt. 26:26-29, Mk. 14:22-25, Lk. 22:14-20).  The stuff of bread and wine are an outward, physical sign of the inward, spiritual grace of Christ’s body and blood broken and shed for us. This is the New Covenant fulfillment of the Old Covenant feast of the Passover.

As Anglicans we believe that Jesus expresses his love and presence to us in a real and mystical way during this meal.  The mechanics of how that actually occurs is a mystery.  But, there is great power and grace in that mystery, and so we share Holy Communion together every Sunday when we worship.  Through it we experience communion with God and with one another. 

We sometimes refer to Holy Communion as the Lord’s Supper or as the Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving”).

How Can I receive Holy Communion?

All baptized Christians who are actively following Jesus are welcome to receive the bread and wine of Eucharist, including the baptized children of believing parents.

Those who are not baptized Christians or are not walking in forgiveness and fellowship with other believers are not permitted to receive Holy Communion.  The call of Christ is to believe the Gospel and to be baptized, and for each Christian to walk in the same forgiveness that Christ has given to him/her. Those who accept the call of Christ in these ways are invited to share in Christ’s Table.

Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism is a multi-faceted symbol of the redemption that we have in Jesus Christ. However, more than just a mere symbol, it is a means of grace to us and an expected part of our life of faith.

In Holy Baptism God uses water to symbolize two spiritual realities.  First, as water cleanses our physical bodies, the waters of baptism signify spiritual cleansing from sin (1 Peter 3:21).  Second, as Christ died and was raised from the dead, the waters of baptism signify being buried with Christ and raised to new life in Him (Romans 6:14).

Additionally, Baptism is the rite of initiation into the community of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).  In order to belong to Christ’s body, one must be baptized into it. In this way, Baptism is a sign of the New Covenant promises of God just as circumcision was God’s mark upon the people of the Old Covenant (Colossians 2:11-12). It is also the seal of our adoption as sons and daughters of God, Our Father (Romans 8:12-17).

Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is recognized by all genuinely Christian churches (Ephesians 4:5) but it is also experienced in the context of a local congregation. At every baptism, the community vows to “do all in our power to support these persons in their life in Christ” (BCP 165). This means we’ll support you as you follow Jesus with us. And if you’re baptizing your children (see below), we’ll be here with you as you raise them to know Jesus personally.

Baptisms are done publicly, usually during Sunday worship when the whole church is gathered, either by pouring from the font or immersion. This illustrates that our personal faith exists in community. To belong to Christ is to belong to His people. For this reason, baptized Christians gather regularly for corporate worship that culminates in Table fellowship (Acts 2:42).

You may also notice that the baptismal font resides at the back of the sanctuary to serve as a reminder that we enter the community of faith by way of this rebirth. Children and adults are welcome to touch the water before the worship service begins in order to help them remember their baptism.

How can I Be Baptized?

Baptism is offered to genuine believers who want to profess their faith and become members of Christ’s body.  It is also offered to the children of baptized believers who are committed to raising their children in the faith of Christ.

Before being baptized, a candidate (or the parents of) needs to participate in the “Catechesis for the Christian Life” process with Fr. Peter. Click the link to learn more.

For Parents

Why is it appropriate to baptize children?
This is question 108 in our Catechism and the answer given is this: “Because it is a sign of God’s promise that they are embraced in the covenant community of Christ’s Church. 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 (Acts 2:39).”

Both the history of Israel and of the Church show us that the people of God have always embraced a corporate identity that included very young children. Jewish boys received the covenant sign of circumcision at eight days old (Gen. 17:12). At Pentecost, the promise of baptism was offered to those who believed and to their children (Acts 2:38-39), and the early church continued this practice, often baptizing entire households at a time (Acts 16:15, 33). The church fathers attest to the practice of infant baptism as apostolic, and for the first 1600 years of the Church infant baptism was the overwhelming practice. Even the Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Cranmer) all continued the practice as good and right.

To baptize young children is to welcome them into the community of faith and to vow to raise them accordingly. Parents and godparents vow to “see that this child is taught, as soon as he is able to learn, the meaning of these vows, and of the Faith that you will profess as revealed in the Holy Scriptures” (BCP p. 163). Baptized children are called to embrace Jesus personally as they grow and to publicly “confirm” their faith through the rite of confirmation as teenagers.

What about Godparents ?
The Book of Common Prayer states that “each candidate for Holy Baptism is to be sponsored by one or more baptized persons” (p. 160). In the case of young children, these sponsors are commonly called godparents, and they take vows along with the child’s parents on behalf of their candidate(s). Godparents do not have any legal responsibility nor do they need to belong to an Anglican church. However, godparents should be committed Christians who are willing to invest in the spiritual formation of your child and able to support you as you raise them to know Christ. The traditional pattern is to choose two or even three godparents.

When can my child receive Communion?
The sacramental life of the church begins with Baptism and continues with Communion. All who are born into God’s Family are welcome at His Table and are encouraged to come and receive this special means of grace. We encourage you to share Communion with your children as soon as they are baptized. If you don’t wish them to receive the wine, they can receive the bread on its own.