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Baptism, Confirmation & Marriage

Baptism

Baptism, at its most practical level, means gaining membership to the Church.   There would be few Anglicans or Christians however, who would regard Baptism as only that.

Baptism is a sacrament where God is at work, an outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible action in which God engages, as the person being Baptised makes promises in the way that they seek to live and are then "washed" in the waters of Baptism.   This marks the beginning of a new relationship between God and the person who has been Baptised.

Who can be Baptised?

Baptism is open to anyone who seeks to belong to the Anglican Church of Australia.   Historically Baptism has taken place when children are very young and not able to answer for themselves.   When this happens, parents and godparents or sponsors make promises on the child's behalf.   Up until the last few decades, this would have been the norm.   There are now many people who have not been Baptised as a child.   We now see many more people as adults asking for Baptism.

What happens during Baptism?

Baptism involves making promises before God about the way one chooses to live, stating your belief in God (the Apostles Creed), then being ritually washed by sprinkling or immersion with water which has been blessed, and having the sign of the cross made on your forehead with Chrism oil.

Baptism in the Anglican Church is normally accepted as suitable for membership in any of the mainstream or Orthodox Christian traditions.   The normal practice within the Anglican Church when a person has been Baptised as a child is to be Confirmed by the Bishop or Archbishop at a later time.

Getting Baptised

 If you wish to be Baptised or to have your child Baptised you will need to contact the Parish Priest who will explain the process.

Confirmation

What is Confirmation?

Confirmation marks the point in the Christian journey at which you affirm for yourself the faith into which you have been Baptised and your intention to live a life of committed discipleship.   This affirmation is confirmed through prayer and the laying on of hands by the confirming Bishop. The Church also asks God to give you power through the Holy Spirit to enable you to live in the way of Jesus.

Getting Confirmed

If you want to explore Confirmation, it is important to see Confirmation as a part of your journey in faith in Christ and not in isolation.   When you speak to the Parish Priest, he will invite you to attend a Confirmation course.   This is a good way to explore your faith with others who are thinking about Confirmation and is a safe place to ask questions you have about God, Jesus and the journey of faith.

Reception

Baptised, communicant members of other churches who wish to be received into communicant membership of Anglican Church of Australia may be presented.   They must vow that they stand by the Confession and commitment made at their Baptism and that they accept the doctrine and order of the Anglican Church of Australia.

Marriage

The Anglican Church sees marriage as grounded by the Creator in the nature order as a life-long covenant uniting the spouses in a life-sharing union of personal love.   By their mutual consent to this enduring covenant, they are the ministers of their own marriage. Essential to their covenant is the openness to God’s gift of children in the sacredness of family life.

As a sacrament, marriage is a sign of the union of man and woman in Christ and reflects the loving union of Christ and His Church.   Christ is enduringly present ‘in and’ to the sacramental marriage, dispensing his graces for the deepening of conjugal love and for the fulfillment of the couple’s responsibilities to each other, to their children, to the church and to society.    Thus, the Sacrament of Matrimony is a source of sanctification and eternal salvation for the spouses and for their family.

Anglicans affirm the permanence of marriage.    We believe that the sacramental bond of marriage is by nature an enduring union of love and a lifelong pursuit of personal happiness, Christian holiness and family stability.

Please contact the Priest in Charge who will guide you through the process and preparation for your marriage.