SACRAMENTS
Congregationalism recognizes two Sacraments: The Lord’s Supper and
Baptism. Both were identified by early church reformers who felt these
Sacraments were the only Sacraments present in the Holy Scriptures. As
such, they were the only ones that should be practiced. There is never a
fee for sacramental services.
BAPTISM
WHAT TO CALL IT? The Congregational Church recognizes the
sacrament as baptism. It is not a “Christening” (Catholic) nor a
“Dedication” (used by some denominations to distinguish between infant
baptism [dedication] and adult baptism.) Congregationalists recognize
both infant and adult baptism.
INFANT BAPTISM: In infant baptism, the Christian family commits
itself to the nurture of their child and the Church accepts
responsibility for the provision of Christian nurture for the child. By
the sacrament God’s Presence is made known. Remember, sacraments are not
magic and do not ensure safety or salvation in and of themselves.
In Infant Baptism, the commitment is on the part of the family and the
church. There is no binding obligation on the part of the baptized
child, but the hope is that when the child reaches the years of
discretion, the child will affirm the baptism through profession of his
or her own faith, symbolized by rebaptism (not required) or church
membership.
ADULT BAPTISM: The sacrament of Baptism declares the never
ceasing love and good will of God for all people. It demonstrates the
infinite worth of each individual soul in the sight of God. Moreover,
this sacrament is an outward symbol of sincere repentance from sin and
of glad faith in Jesus Christ. It is a profession of faith in Jesus
Christ as Lord and a promise, depending upon God for strength, to serve
the Lord all the days of life in the fellowship of the church. It is
appropriate for those who have never been baptized, or for those wishing
to confirm the act of a baptism performed in infancy.
Some churches require baptism for church membership. This church does
not (see bylaws).
A NOTE ON THE PROCESS: Typically, a Baptism is performed during
regular Sunday Worship. This is because the witness of the community and
the promise of the Congregation to support the Christian in his or her
profession of faith is important to the meaning of the Sacrament.
“Private” baptisms can be done, but public Baptisms are strongly
encouraged.
Baptism is most often performed by the sprinkling or daubing of water on
the head. This is always advisable for infants or small children.
However, full immersion baptism can also be done depending on which is
more meaningful to the person being baptized. Remember, in
Congregationalism, baptismal water is symbolic and not holy.
Baptism ushers us into a new life with Christ and publicly expresses our
promise to be disciples
THE LORD’S SUPPER
LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN! The Lord’s Supper, also called
Communion and the Eucharist, is a symbolic celebration, based on
Scripture. The emphasis is on the remembrance of the teachings of Jesus
and our commitment to learn the ways of the Lord. It is also the
celebration of the New Covenant which affirms God’s grace and mercy
toward us, and the forgiveness of our sins by Jesus sacrifice on the
cross. While it is a celebration, it is also a solemn occasion for its
importance to our faith.
WHAT IS THE NEW COVENANT? The New Covenant refers to the new
relationship between God and people shown by the display of God’s grace
in Jesus Christ. It recognizes that our own efforts toward righteousness
are imperfect, but through Christ we are forgiven and redeemed in spite
of our imperfect nature. Our faith is no longer based on works of
righteousness but upon the saving grace of Christ. Because of our new
relationship with God through Christ, we wish to give back this grace
through our actions. But our actions, in and of themselves, do not
redeem us unto God.
NO MAGIC. We do not regard the sacraments as magical; with grape
juice being transformed into “the blood of Christ” and bread into the
literal “body of Christ.” All sacraments are essentially spiritual
experiences. In Communion, we are reminded of our Lord’s life, death and
resurrection, assured of the Lord’s spiritual presence and united in
fellowship with the Lord and with each other.
MORE THAN LOOKING BACK. But it is also more than a memorial
service: by remembering, our hearts become more open to the of our Lord
in the here and now. We affirm God’s reality in our lives and celebrate
our “communion” with God and with one another and recognize we are bound
together in mutual love by the Holy Spirit.
OPEN TO ALL. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated as an “open table.”
A person need not be a Congregationalist nor a church member to partake
of the celebration. We invite all followers of Jesus to join with us in
our services, regardless of their denominational affiliation. We also
welcome children of all ages to the table. Participation is at the
discretion of their parents.
The “open table” is one of the hallmarks of Congregationalism.
By the Lord’s Supper, we renew our promises to Jesus Christ and claim
once again the promise of the New Covenant which Jesus brought for our
renewal and hope of life eternal. |
Sacraments