The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord Service Booklet for Families

The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord Service Booklet for Families

Dear Families, What a joy it is to celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord as a church family and welcome four children into the fellowship of our church through the gift of baptism. I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Greece and visit several holy sites during this Christmas break. At the stream where Lydia was baptized in Northern Greece, I was struck by the power of baptism - the power of God s grace to transform us. There was nothing special about this particular stream. It was only through the power of God that these waters brought forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ for Lydia and the first converts in Greece. Since this stream is a popular place for adult Christians to be baptized, the Orthodox Church has built two sets of stairs leading into the stream. One for the baptismal candidate to walk down into the stream to be baptized, symbolizing how we are united to Christ in his death through baptism. After the baptism, he or she walks up the stairs on the other side, symbolizing how he or she now shares in Jesus resurrection and is forever a changed person, having taken on the new life in Christ. These stairs perfectly symbolize the profound and mysterious change that happens through the waters of baptism. As our Baptism liturgy says, in it [waters of baptism] we are buried with Christ in his death. By it we share in his resurrection. Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit. (BCP, 306). Our prayer is that all of the children who are baptized today would live in the power of Jesus resurrection, and by Jesus grace live out the covenant they are making today. We have created this booklet to help your family engage in the service and the Sacrament of baptism. The first section What to Look for in the Service goes through the worship service, explaining different liturgical elements, as well as inviting children to engage the service with their senses. The second section has activities for children to complete during the service. The third Section has Scripture readings of Jesus baptism, and the third section provides space for children to prayerfully respond to the service through coloring or journaling. We hope that these activities help your family engage in the service and the Sacrament of Baptism. With joy, Sarah Graham & The RezKids Team

What to Look for in the Service Opening Prayer After the opening hymn, the service begins by a prayer asking God to forgive us our sin and help us love God and worship him. It is a prayer that helps us get ready to worship. The priest begins the service by saying Blessed be God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Repond by saying: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen. Listen: For the answer to this question: Can we hide any secrets from God? Write: How can you show your love to God during this worship service? Opening Worship When we worship through singing, we are praising God and giving him thanks for who He is and for what He has done for us. The first song is Jesus, Jesus, Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God with us. Write: How is God with us? Sing: The worship songs. Pray the words of the songs while you sing them. Look: How do people worship God? Write: Why do you think some people lift their hands during the songs?

Collect of the Day The collect is a prayer that the priest prays to open the service. The reason it is called a collect is because it is a collected prayers of the church, God s people. In baptism we become members of the church and the family of God! Listen: For the word baptism! (It s said twice!) The Lessons The lessons are readings from the Bible. The Bible is God s Word. In the Bible God shows us who He is. The first reading is from the book of Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet. God spoke to Isaiah, and then used Isaiah to speak God s word to His people. The words in Isaiah were meant both for the people of Judah (who Isaiah was speaking to), but also for us today, since we are God s people! The book of Isaiah is full of promises of the coming of the Messiah (Jesus! The one who saves us), and what the Messiah will be like. Write: Who is the servant? What will the servant be like? After the Old Testament Reading (Isaiah) is read, the reader will say: The Word of the Lord Respond by saying: Thanks be to God. The next reading is from the Gospel. The Gospels are the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament. They are about Jesus life on earth. In today s reading, we will hear about Jesus baptism! Sing: Before the Gospel is read, stand, and sing Alleluia Write: Who baptizes Jesus? Write: What happens after Jesus is baptized? After the Gospel is read, the Deacon will say: The Gospel of the Lord Respond by saying: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Homily In the Homily (another word for sermon), the priest helps us understand God s Word and what it means for our lives today. Think: About a time when you felt loved by someone. Write: Who was that person, and how did he or she show love to you? Imagine God saying to you, You are my child, and I love you, and you make me so happy! Write: How do you feel? What do you want to say to God?

Baptism (At 11am Service) Baptism is a sacrament, which is a sign of God s grace to us. In baptism we become part of God s family, receive forgiveness of sins, and are given new life in the Holy Spirit - all because Jesus died and rose again for us! Presentation of Candidates: Sing: There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. There is one God, who is Father of all. Baptismal Vows A vow is a serious promise. In a wedding, the husband and wife will say vows to each other - promises that they will love each other for the rest of their life. In the baptismal vow, the people being baptized (and their parents) are promising to turn away from Satan and evil and turn to Jesus and follow after Him as their Savior Listen: For the word renounce (It s said 6 times!) Write: What does the word renounce mean? What are they renouncing? Listen: For the people who are going to be baptized say I do How many times do they say I do? Write: How can you follow after Jesus? After the vows are said, The Celebrant (Father Stephen) will ask the congregation. Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ? Answer by saying: We will Write: How can you support the people who are being baptized?

The Baptismal Covenant In the Baptismal Covenant, we promise to God that we believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God the Holy Spirit. We also promise to continue to follow Jesus with our life. The whole Church participates by reaffirming, or promising again their own baptismal covenant. If you were baptized as an infant or child, you have an opportunity to make these promises to God again - that you believe in him and will follow him! The Celebrant (Canon Stephen) asks: Do you believe in God the Father? Say: The words of the Baptismal Covenant (Found on pages 16 & 17 in the bulletin) Prayers for the Candidates of Holy Baptism Amy Patton, our Formation Pastor, will pray for the people being baptized. Pray: Pray in your heart the prayers that are spoken. After each prayer request, say: Lord, hear our prayer. Thanksgiving Over the Water The water of baptism is a picture of the forgiveness of sins we have through Jesus. Water washes away dirt and stains. The waters of baptism wash away our sins and give us new life through Jesus. Look: For the paschal candle to be dunked, and the priest to do the sign of the cross over the water. Listen: What does the priest say happens in baptism? Write: Fill in the blank: We thank you, Father, for the of Baptism. In it we are buried with in his death. By it we share in his. Through it we are by the Holy Spirit.

Baptism It s time for the baptisms! When each child is baptized, the Celebrant will say: I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Respond by saying: Amen. After each child is baptized, Bishop Stewart will say: You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ s own forever. Respond by saying: Amen. Look: How many times does water get sprinkled on the child being baptized? Find: What is each family given after the child is baptized? The Peace The Celebrant says The peace of the Lord be always with you. Respond by saying: And also with you. Give your family members a hug! Hug or shake hands with the people by you. This is called the passing of the peace. Why? We share Jesus love with them!

Activities Find & Draw Find and then draw the... Baptismal Font Paschal Candle Altar

Icon Meditation Find: Jesus John Angels John s Ax Dove Write: Why is there a dove? Why do you think Jesus is in white robes? Why does John have an ax? (Hint: Luke 3:7-9) What else do you see in the icon?

Scripture Readings Read about Jesus baptism: Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15 Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Mark 1:4-11 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.

Scripture Readings Read about Jesus baptism: Luke 3:21-22 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Draw: Based on the Scripture readings, draw a picture of Jesus baptism

Prayer Listen to the voice of the Lord speaking to you during the service. Write or draw your prayers to God.

Prayer Listen to the voice of the Lord speaking to you during the service. Write or draw your prayers to God.

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen (Collect for The Baptism of our Lord, Book of Common Prayer, 214) RezKids All Saints Service Booklet www.churchrez.org/rezkids Church of the Resurrection, Wheaton, Illinois, 2015 Images: From the noun project. Image designers: Handshake by Robert Bjurshagen; Pray by Cristiano Zoucas; Speech Bubble by hunotika; Pencil by d; Magnifying glass by Philipp S; See by Takao Umehara; Listen by Remy Medara; Nose by Jens Taring; Thought Bubble by Irene Hoffman All Scripture is taken from The New International Version.