DECLARATION
MINISTER:
In Holy Baptism, the Church proclaims the Good News of our incorporation into
the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom which Jesus Christ, our Incarnate Lord,
inaugurated by His life of perfect trust and obedience to the Father.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, He brought into being a people for His own
possession, which people we are.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are united with Christ in Holy Baptism,
sharing not only in His death but also in His resurrection, becoming God's
children by adoption and grace, thus changing our created nature so deeply that
the Holy Scripture says that in Baptism we are born again.
Let us therefore pray that those who have come for Baptism may receive, in this
Holy Sacrament, that blessing which by nature they cannot have, that they may
be made living members of the Church, which is the Body of Christ, and so be
set free from the bondage of sin.
MINISTER: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And also with you.
MINISTER: Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit you give to Your children new
life through the water of Baptism. Grant that this child (these children)
raised to new life in Christ, may serve you in faith and love and may grow into
the full stature of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
ALL: Amen.
Then shall follow the Collect of the day.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
The readings are those of the Sunday or Feast Day if the baptism takes place at
the principal service. At the discretion of the Bishop two or three of the
following readings may be used instead.
OLD TESTAMENT
PSALMS
Ezekiel 36:24-28
23, 42:1-7, 84
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The Benedictus
(Luke 1:68-79)
Exodus 14:10-20
NEW TESTAMENT
GOSPEL
Romans 6:3-5
Mark 1:9-11
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
Mark 10:13-16
Acts 16:25-34
Matt. 28:16-20
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John 3:1-8
THE SERMON
B a c k