BABY DEDICATION

Do I need to be a member at Embrace Church to dedicate my baby?
Membership at Embrace Church is not required for baby dedication, but is encouraged. It is important for families to consider Embrace as their church home and have consistent engagement as a dedication signifies a partnership between parents and the local church body in the spiritual nurturing of the child.

At what age may a child participate in a baby dedication at Embrace?
We offer baby dedication for those parents of children that are up to 18 months old.

If I am a single parent can I dedicate my child?
Yes, in fact we encourage it! Baby dedication signifies the commitment of parents, including single parents, to raise their child to become a follower of Jesus. We encourage single parents to discuss this commitment with the baby’s other parent, acknowledging that this may not always be possible. If needed and helpful, pastoral support and guidance is also available in processing these cases. Embrace Church is committed to supporting single parents in providing a Christian foundation for their child’s faith development and spiritual upbringing.

What happens during the Baby Dedication ceremony?
There are three important components to the baby dedication.

1. Parents give thanks and dedicate the life of their child to the Lord.

2. Parents make a commitment before God, their family and the church to raise up their child in a God honoring way to know, love and follow Jesus.

3. The church body commits to partner with the parents, offering

The ceremony will take place at a Sunday morning worship gathering where parents will have a moment before the congregation. Our pastor will introduce the baby to the church and both parents and the church body will answer questions of commitment in nurturing the faith of the baby, ending with a moment of prayer over the family.

What are the requirements for a baby dedication?
To participate in the baby dedication, parents should:

1. Have a personal relationship with Jesus and have been previously baptized.

2. Regularly worship with Embrace Church, follow Jesus in their own life and be in alignment with Embrace Church’s statement of beliefs and values.

3. Complete Embrace Church’s “Small Steps” course, a 3-session experience for parents and their babies up to 18 months old offered in the spring and fall of each year.