A Liturgy For The Renewal Of The Baptismal Covenant

The following service invites worshipers to recall their own baptism, to renew their promises of faith to God, and to hear again God's promises and provisions for them as his people. The text is based on a service in Holy Baptism and Services for the Renewal of Baptism formulated by the Office of Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It is similar to texts used in several Protestant denominations.

Renewal of Baptism for a Congregation SENTENCES FROM SCRIPTURE It is appropriate that this service be led by the minister from the baptismal font or pool, which should be filled with water. After the sermon has been preached, the Minister, using one or more of the following Scriptures, says: Hear these words from Holy Scripture: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love God and keep God's commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9) God has showed you what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light … and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8, 10) The congregation stands, as the minister continues: Sisters and brothers in Christ, our baptism is the sign and seal of our cleansing from sin, and of our being grafted into Christ. Through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the power of sin was broken and God's kingdom entered our world. Through our baptism we were made citizens of that kingdom, and freed from the bondage of sin. Let us celebrate that freedom and redemption through the renewal of our baptism. RENUNCIATION AND AFFIRMATION I ask you, therefore, once again to reject sin, to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, and to confess the faith of the church, the faith in which we were baptized. Do you renounce evil, and its power in the world, which defies God's righteousness and love? I renounce them. Do you renounce the ways of sin that separate you from the love of God? I renounce them. Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Lord and Savior? I do. Do you intend to be Christ's faithful disciple, obeying his word, and showing his love, to your life's end? I do. With the whole church, let us confess our faith. The congregation affirms the faith in the words of the Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The minister leads the people in prayer, saying: Let us pray. God of life and goodness. we praise you for claiming us through our baptism and for upholding us by your grace. We remember your promises given to us in our baptism. Strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may obey your will and serve you with joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The minister may place his or her hand into the water of the font, lift up some water, let it fall back into the font, and then make the sign of the cross over the people, while saying:

Remember your baptism and be thankful. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The minister may invite persons who wish to receive the laying on of hands to come and kneel at the font. The sign of the cross may be traced upon the forehead of each person and may include the anointing with oil. Laying both hands upon the head of each person in turn, the minster says: O Lord, uphold [Name] by your Holy Spirit. Daily increase [him, her] your gifts of grace: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. The candidate answers: Amen. or Defend, O Lord, your servant [Name] with your heavenly grace, that [he, she] may continue yours forever, and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more, until [he, she] comes to your everlasting kingdom. The Candidate answers: Amen. The service concludes with the exchange of peace: Minister: The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. A celebration of the Lord's Supper may follow. Commentary Recent liturgical reforms and theological writings have emphasized the importance of a Christian piety shaped by our baptism. Christians need always to bear in mind their basic commitment of allegiance to Christ and God's fundamental saving act in Christ. There is no more powerful symbol of these truths than Christian baptism. Thus, many churches have used liturgical texts similar to the one printed here as a powerful means of recalling the images of baptism. This practice is often used in conjunction with important pastoral moments: when a new member is welcomed into the church or when an estranged member is welcomed back; when a member of the congregation makes a renewed commitment of faith or pledge of Christian service; or when a member is facing illness, death, or another personal crisis. This practice is also an important part of services of the Christian year, especially Easter Vigil and Pentecost. These services highlight themes integral to the nature and meaning of baptism, including our dying and rising with Christ in our baptism and our baptism into the Holy Spirit. This liturgy of renewal of baptism allows the congregation to claim their participation in the benefits of Christ's resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. This service in no way intends to repeat what happened at baptism. Baptism is not something that can be undone or lost. Nor does the service intend to minimize the importance of baptism, by repeating its images at even more occasions within the congregation's life. Worship leaders should exercise care in the planning of such renewal services so that they are always perceived as an act which recalls one's own baptism and appropriates its reality for the present. Thus, the service tends to magnify the importance of the first baptism, not to lessen it. Suggestions for Appropriation Worship leaders should inform the congregation well in advance of occasions for the renewal of baptism vows. Appropriate scriptural texts may be recommended for personal devotional use prior to the service. Romans 6:1–5 may be recommended as one such passage for an Easter baptismal renewal. This service may be accompanied by any of the many baptismal hymns included in recently published hymnals. Easter hymns may also be used whenever the renewal is observed. The congregation may speak the three sections of the Apostle's Creed as a response to a question from the worship leader, "?What do you believe concerning the Father (and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, respectively)??" This recalls ancient practice at baptismal services (see the liturgy by Hippolytus in this series).