Baptism
Baptism (which comes from the Greek verb “to wash”) is the universal ritual of initiation into the fellowship of followers of Jesus Christ known as the Church. Christians, whether adults or babies, are baptized with water in the name of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Baptism is one of the two holy acts mandated by Jesus. The other is the sacred meal of bread and wine known as the Eucharist.
While people are baptized as individuals, they are baptized into a community of faith that promises to:
- persevere in resisting evil
- forgive one another, as God has forgiven them
- seek and serve Christ in all persons
- strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being
- strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and
- respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth
Parents bringing children to be baptized make a commitment to nurture them in the faith and life of the Christian community.
All baptized persons are encouraged to participate in God’s work in the world through their gifts of time, talent and financial resources.
Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child
The Church also offers a service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child. This service provides an opportunity for a family to give thanks for the birth or adoption of a child and to pray for God’s help in the child’s care and nurture.
If you would like to be baptized, have your child baptized or have a service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child, speak to your parish priest.
Weddings
If you are interested in celebrating the blessing of your Marriage at St Hilary’s, we are delighted to support you. Please speak to the clergy on Sunday to indicate your intentions — note, that we do require a minimum of 60 days’ notice before the date of your wedding. The priest typically meets with a couple at least three times, and requires that you participate in a pre-marriage counselling resource.
We have several resources to recommend that couples of all ages have found helpful. The idea is to not only prepare you for this significant celebration at St Hilary’s, but to provide you with a foundation to support and uphold a healthy married life together after the celebration is over.
Funerals
The death of a loved one is always a difficult and deeply stressful time. At St. Hilary’s, we are dedicated to helping you with this important but often challenging task of planning a funeral.
Our desire is to guide you through the process of funeral planning so that the service might be a source of comfort and peace to all who attend.
St. Hilary’s offers a variety of services for those who have suffered a loss through death. Click the link below to learn more.
