CHILD-PARENT DEDICATION
One of the Five Core Commitments of the Capitol Hill SDA Church is “To Grow”. This statement reflects the church’s desire to provide opportunities for every member, from the youngest to the oldest, to “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ”, (2 Peter 3:18). This desire underscores our commitment to support parents in the spiritual nurture of your children.
Dedicating Your Baby: Q & A
What is Baby Dedication?
The word "dedication" means "to consecrate" or the act of setting apart people or things to serve God. In the Old Testament, we see how Hannah prayed for a child and promised God that the child, Samuel, would be given to the Lord all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11, 28). In the New Testament, we see how Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to "present" Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22).
These parents took this act very seriously and were making a commitment in presenting their children to the Lord. Bringing a child before the Lord is not a secret formula for keeping them from ever experiencing harm or pain. Rather, it is a commitment that the parents make to do their part in raising their child before the Lord. Just as the Nazarite children in the Bible had set boundaries and lived their lives set apart to God from birth (Judges 13:5), parents today, through baby dedication, commit to a lifestyle of raising their children separated from the world and its values.
What kind of commitment am I making?
As parents, you begin by publicly acknowledging your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As you present your child to God in the presence of the pastor and congregation, you are recognizing that he or she belongs to God and has been born to experience His love and to serve Him.
You are committing, as Christian parents, to teach the truths of God's Word in your home and participate in regular worship with your children. You are also committing to be a Christ-like example and seek to lead your children to a personal faith in Christ as soon as they are ready
What happens at the baby dedication?
Baby dedications generally occur during the Second Worship Service and before the pastor's message. We ask that you, and any guest we have prior approved to make remarks during the dedication, to arrive ½ hour before the service starts and come to the Elders Room. An usher can assist you in finding this room as well as seating. When the pastor announces your names, you should proceed to the front.
The pastor will make remarks and ask you about your commitment. The pastor will take the child and pray over your child, asking God for His protection and guidance as well as to lead the child to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The pastor will then pray over you as parents.
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What age should my child be?
We recommend that children be dedicated during the first year following birth. Children respond more favorably to public presentation at this age. We are flexible should your child/ren be older and you wish to dedicate them.
What about videotaping or photography?
You may photograph or videotape the baby dedication so long as it does not disrupt the sacredness of the event. Also, a DVD of the service, which includes the baby dedication, is available for purchase.
Why don't you have infant baptism?
We believe a person must make a personal commitment to Christ before being baptized. For this reason, we provide parents the opportunity to dedicate their children to the Lord, praying that Christ would ultimately lead them to that personal decision.
Can I choose my own date?
We consider all requests, however, the final decision is based on the Pastors and our service schedule.
Who is invited onto the platform?
Typically, the parents and all children come onto the platform, along with any person the Pastors have given prior approval to participate. If they wish, parents may invite family members and friends to support them. They will be directed to stand around the family.
Okay, we're ready. What do we do now?
Please complete your registration form for submission. Once your submission is received, the form will be reviewed and you will be contacted for the next step, which involves confirmation of available dates and times as well as finalizing details.
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