Baptism

Description

Here are worship resources suitable for a service of baptism.

Scripture

Matthew 28:19-20
Acts 2:38
Romans 6:1-4
1 Corinthians 12:13
Galatians 3:26-29
Philippians 1:9-11
Colossians 2:11-12
Hebrews 10:22
1 Peter 3:21

Prayers

Prayer

Many voices are speaking to us today
in the movie theaters,
on the concert stages,
on the television.

Today, Lord, we choose to listen to Your voice,
to respond to Your desires,
to follow Your highest path for us.

Many voices are speaking to us today
in our homes,
in our friendships,
and in our community.

Today, Lord, we choose to listen to Your voice,
to respond to Your desires,
to follow Your highest path for us.

Many voices are speaking to us today
through celebrities, commercials
and through media.

Today, Lord, we choose to listen to Your voice,
to respond to Your desires,
to follow Your highest path for us.

As many voices ring in our ears,
we say that we choose to listen for Your voice,
to do what pleases you,
and to stay true to the path You have lovingly set before us.
Strengthen each of us to choose the high road,
to live up to the greatness you placed within us,
and to honor You in all our ways.
Lord, we will listen for Your voice.

Amen.

~ Dan Wilt, on his website http://www.danwilt.com/

Baptism Prayer

Gracious and loving God, in the waters of baptism you name us and claim us and make us your own. Thank you for the gift of new life and for the invitation to experience that life in the community of your church. Fill us with your Spirit, call deeply to our hearts, and lead us to more fully and faithfully follow Jesus. Guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions, that we may be your hands and voice in a world so hungry to experience good news. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

~ posted on the website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
http://blogs.elca.org/faithlens/post/september-16-2012/

Prayer of Blessing following Baptism (1) (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches,
strengthen these, Your people.

Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit,
so that through faith, You will come to reside in their hearts.

May love be the rich soil where their lives take root.

May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that,
together with all of Your people,
they will have the power to understand
that Your love is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep,
surpassing everything anyone previously experienced.

God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings.

Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst

Prayer of Blessing following Baptism (2) (Colossians 1:9-11)

Gracious God,
we pray that these, your children,
may clearly know Your will
and achieve the height and depth of spiritual wisdom and understanding.

May their lives be a credit to You, Lord;
and what’s more,
may they continue to delight You
by doing every good work
and growing in the true knowledge that comes
from being close to You.

Strengthen them with Your infinite power,
according to Your glorious might,
so that they will have everything they need
to hold on and endure hardship patiently and joyfully.

Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst

Covenant Renewal Litany

Every day we journey on this earth is a day in which we make choices:
left or right, up or down, in or out, yes or no?
Some choices are simple, and some are very complex,
but one choice informs all the others:
Who will be our God?
Who will we trust to see us through this journey?

Who has been with us from before the beginning,
bringing us into existence?

Who has loved us and blessed us and sent us on our way?

Who has pointed us toward the path
and posted the signs we need to find our way?

Who has been at our side when the road has been smooth
and gently curving?

Who has kept with us through hairpin turns
and construction zones and potholes and detours?

Who will celebrate with us when we complete our course
and seek the comfort of eternity?

Only One. The One and Only.

Holy One. The One and Holy.

Will you choose this day to stay faithful to the One who is faithful to us?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to place your whole trust
in the One who is trustworthy?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to commit your talents and your resources
to the One who first endowed them?

Count us in.

Will you choose this day to love the One who loved us first?

Count us in.

Praying together,

We devote ourselves to you by renewing the covenant—
the promise you made to humanity so long ago.
Because you are our God, we will be your people.
Enlarge our faithfulness, our trust, our commitment and our love
so that we may graciously uphold our side of the deal.
Help us always to recognize your presence and your blessings
throughout our journey.
Keep us in your care.

Amen.

~ written by Rev. Christine Sobania Johnson on her blog, Freshly Squeezed Liturgy.
http://freshlysqueezedliturgy.blogspot.com/

Spoken Resources

Benediction: Philippians 1:9-11

May God, who has begun a good work within you,
continue that work until the day when Christ Jesus returns.
May your love overflow more and more;
may you continue to grow in knowledge and understanding,
so that you can clearly discern what really matters,
and so that you may stand pure and blameless before God
on the day of Christ’s return.

The God who calls you is faithful,
and He will do it.
Go in peace.

~ Christine Longhurst

Blessing

May your life be a river.
May you flow with the purpose
of the One who created
and called you,
who directs your course
and turns you ever
toward home.

May your way shimmer
with the light of Christ
who goes with you
who bears you up
who calls you by name.

May you move
with the grace of the Spirit
who brooded over
the face of the waters
at the beginning
and who will gather you in
at the end.

~ written by Jan L. Richardson, and posted on The Painted Prayerbook.
http://paintedprayerbook.com/

Commission and Benediction

Go now,
confident that you are God’s precious and pleasing children.
Trust in God and do not fear.
Accept the Word of God
and point others to the one who baptizes with Spirit and fire.

And may God be your protection and your strength;
May Christ baptize you with his Holy Spirit.
And may the Spirit be with you
to empower you and give you peace.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ.

Amen.

Songs

Traditional Hymn: O Jesus, I Have Promised

Worship Together #605

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve You to the end;
Be now and ever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If You are by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If You will be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel You near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear You speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
And speak to make me listen,
O Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, You have promised
To all who follow You
That where You are in glory
Your servants shall be too.
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end,
When You in glory take me,
My Savior and my Friend.

~ John E. Bode, alt.

Contemporary Hymn: Baptized in Water

Worship Together #230

Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit
cleansed by the blood of Christ our king;
heirs of salvation,
trusting his promise—
faithfully now God's praise we sing.

Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
dead in the tomb with Christ our king;
one with his rising,
freed and forgiven
thankfully now God's praise we sing.

Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign of Christ our king;
born of one Father,
we are his children—
joyfully now God's praise we sing.

Tune suggestions:
BUNESSAN (“Morning has broken”)

Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0TInLOJuUM

Contemporary Song: I Will Follow

All Your ways are good
All Your ways are sure
I will trust in You alone
Higher than my sight
High above my life
I will trust in You alone

Where You go I'll go
Where You stay I'll stay
When You move I'll move
I will follow You
Whom You love I'll love
How You serve I'll serve
If this life I lose
I will follow You
Yeah I will follow You yeah

Light into the world
Light into my life
I will live for You alone
You're the One I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in You alone
In You alone

In You there's life everlasting
In You there's freedom for my soul
In You there's joy unending joy
And I will follow

~ Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, Reuben Morgan. Copyright © 2010 SHOUT! Music Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Timber Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC) West Main Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC) Windsor Hill Music (Admin. by Sony/ATV Sounds LLC). CCLI Song # 5806878. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1816362

Contemporary Song: From the Inside Out

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in Your grace
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never-ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart in my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never-ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never-ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out (Lord)

Listen to it here: http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=558109

Contemporary Song: Beneath the Waters (I Will Rise)

This is my revelation
Christ Jesus crucified
Salvation through repentance
At the cross on which He died

Now here my absolution
Forgiveness for my sin
And I sink beneath the waters
That Christ was buried in

I will rise
I will rise
As Christ was raised to life
Now in Him
Now in Him I live

I stand a new creation
Baptised in blood and fire
No fear of condemnation
By faith I'm justified

I rise as You are risen
Declare Your rule and reign
My life confess Your Lordship
And glorify Your Name
Your word it stands eternal
Your kingdom knows no end
Your praise goes on forever
And on and on again
No pow'r can stand against You
No curse assault Your throne
No one can steal Your glory
For it is Yours alone
I stand to sing Your praises
I stand to testify
For I was dead in my sin

But now I rise
I will rise
As Christ was raised to life
Now in Him
Now in Him I live

~Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood. Copyright © 2011 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing). CCLI Song # 6179573. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTwA3NLEjY4

Images

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

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