Preparing for Baptism
The best way to learn about the Sacraments is to participate in them. We call this mystagogy: teaching through participation in the mystery of God’s presence in, with, and under the Word and the Water. Through God’s promises, these ordinary things become vessels of the divine and a means of grace for all God’s beloved people. We have ongoing opportunities for you to learn about what it means to be invited into Baptism at any age.
Preparation for baptism begins with a conversation with a pastor. Please contact the Church Office at 507.288.1580 to schedule a thirty minute meeting with any of the pastors to learn, share, and prepare for this important congregational event.
Baptismal Journey
When we bring our children to baptism, we as parents (and as a congregation!) make promises:
to live with them among God’s faithful people,
bring them to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in their hands the holy scriptures, and nurture them in faith and prayer,
so that they may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.
This is a tall order! And it doesn’t just happen overnight. These promises are fulfilled throughout childhood (and beyond). We seek to fulfill these promises together as a community, as we continue to figure out what it means for us to live as God’s people.
See the table, below, that describes the flow from baptism through adolescence and into adulthood. There is always some flexibility in the movement from year to year, but we hope that this outline will help you as a family identify places to engage as you grow together.
