Opening Prayer:
Leader: Loving and Gracious God,
You give us grace through sacramental signs,
which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power.In Baptism we use your gift of water,
which you have made a rich symbol of the grace
you give us in this sacrament.At the very dawn of creation your Spirit breathed on the waters,
making them the well spring of all holiness.In the waters of the Jordan
your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit.After his resurrection he told his disciples:
"Go out and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".
All: Father, as we present our children to be reborn in the waters of baptism,
bless our preparations. Be with us here in the power of your Spirit.
Pour out that Spirit once more upon us.
May we grow in our own baptismal promises and in our faith in Christ and his Church and so be conscientious and faithful teachers of our children.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Scripture Readings (choose one).
a.Matthew 3: 13-17.Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?" Jesus said to him in reply, "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
b. John 1:29-34.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of
whom I said, "One is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I do not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made know to Israel." John testified further, saying, " I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, "On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."
c. Romans 6:3-5, 9-11.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his! For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once and for all but the life he lives he lives to God. So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
d. Ephesians 4: 1-6.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, There is one body, one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Closing Prayer and Our Father.
All: Heavenly Father you created each of us out of love. By drawing us to yourself in baptism, you restore us to your grace and heal the divisions within the community of your body, granting us salvation, which in turn glorifies your name. Father, by our sharing and learning may we come to know our duty to you as Christian parents in raising our children to serve you in joy and praise you in the midst of the Body of Christ, the Church. Your gift of salvation in baptism is our hope of resurrection in Christ. We ask you to keep us faithful to our call as your sons and daughters. May our lives glorify you always and make us worthy heirs of your promise of eternal life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the Lord of all salvation. Amen.
Our Father……
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen