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Baptism at St. Margaret's

                                          

Some questions regarding baptisms at St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church:

What are the preferred baptismal dates?

Baptism in the Episcopal Church is a rite of passage, an initiation and adoption into the body of Christ, into the priesthood of all believers.  Baptism is a public service.  The Prayer Book lists the following days of the Church year as baptismal days of great liturgical and theological significance:  The Vigil of Easter, either Saturday after All Saints’ day, and on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (the first Sunday after the Epiphany); however, due to the many varied demands of family schedules, St. Margaret’s plans one baptism per month (except during Lent), at the 9:30 AM service.  We recommend that you plan with your relatives and godparents so that they can schedule their travel time to fit these dates ahead of time. 

Are there any other scheduled baptismal times?

Yes, other times may be chosen if family travel time or other considerations are a major factor.  We do attempt to schedule baptisms one Sunday each month.  We can also schedule private baptisms as needed and depending on the priests’ schedules.

How many Godparents do we need?

Traditionally, two Godmothers and one Godfather for a female child, and two Godfathers and one Godmother for a male child.  Godparents may be close relatives or friends.  Parents and Godparents do not need to be members of the Episcopal Church, but they should be practicing Christians who can publicly affirm the following statements:

            Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present is brought up in the Christian faith and life?

           Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ?

           You may, as a matter of fact, have more Godparents, if that is your wish.

 

May we have proxy Godparents?

In some cases, Godparents are in various parts of the world, but we still choose them as Godparents.  In such cases, we allow proxy Godparents and will assume that the parents will instruct the Godparents on their duties.

Is there a fee for baptism?

There is no “fee” for baptism, although, if desired, families can make a contribution to St. Margaret’s for the flowers on the altar the Sunday of the baptism. 

For private baptisms, it is customary to offer an honorarium directly to the priest performing the baptism, generally in the range of $100-$200, but it is entirely a voluntary offering as is best for each family.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the church office: 661-0110 or church@stmarg.org.


You may fill out an Application for Baptism found, here: