By the Holy Spirit God calls us to faith in what he has done for us in Jesus Christ. An important part of our connection with God in faith is the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
We joyfully and eagerly invite you to receive the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. It is a gift from the Lord himself, and it is a wonderful welcome and entry point into the community of faith, which is called “the Body of Christ” or “the Church”. Holy Baptism also leads us toward the fuller life of faith, including participation in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Scheduling a Baptism
Call the Church office – 979-278-3388
email Pastor David Tinker pastordjt@industryinet.com
We offer Baptism at our Sunday morning and Saturday evening worship services. Please contact the pastor at the church office to make these arrangements. We prefer to have at least a week notice for a baptism. Please contact the pastor regarding last minute or “emergency” baptisms. Generally, the person being baptized, or the parents of a child being baptized, will need to meet with the pastor prior to the week of the baptism. Special arrangements can be made for out of town families regarding this meeting.
What are the age requirements for receiving the Sacrament of Holy Baptism?
There is neither a minimum nor maximum age to be baptized. Since the earliest days of Christianity people have been baptized from a young age forward. Entire households were often baptized together. Also, Holy Baptism is very much about God’s love and grace for us.
It is part of our Lutheran Christian understanding of the faith that we offer Holy Baptism to those seeking it, or whose Christian parents are seeking it for their children, regardless of age. Here is some of what Martin Luther taught about this – click link.
When are baptisms offered?
We understand that Baptism is, in part, an entry into the community of faith. Therefore, we plan that all baptisms take place during one of our regularly schedule weekend worship services. This makes it possible for a large portion of the faith community to gather for prayer and support of the newly baptized. “Private” baptisms are not a norm for Christians.
On rare occasions we offer the Sacrament of Holy Baptism to a person outside of these times. Here are some examples:
*A grave health concern for a person who is not yet baptized. This could include a sick infant, or any person of any age who is currently ill or hospitalized, yet desires this Sacrament.
*A home bound individual who would not be able to make it a worship service at the church.
*A person is heading off to military or overseas service and wants to be baptized, or to have his or her family member baptized, before heading out of town before the coming Sunday.
*If your situation is not noted above, please contact the pastor.
Are there exclusion dates for Baptisms?
Not really, but we typically try to avoid baptisms on a couple of Sundays each year. Such Sundays are very busy otherwise. These would be the third Sunday in May, which is when our traditional Confirmation Sunday is. Another would be Easter Sunday, which varies on the date each year.
Are there special days which would be excellent for a baptism?
Yes. There are several when we celebrate themes regarding the love and light of God being brought to our lives. Early Christians often talked about baptism being a time when a person was “enlightened” with God’s grace.
The Epiphany of our Lord – January 6, or the Sunday just before January 6.
The Baptism of our Lord – which is the first Sunday after January 6 each year.
The Transfiguration of our Lord – the final Sunday before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the Season of Lent. This varies each year, so contact the church office.
The Great Vigil of Easter – The Saturday evening service on the night before Easter Sunday.
The Vigil of Pentecost or the Day of Pentecost – the weekend 7 weeks after Easter Sunday each year.
What if I have been baptized previously in another church or place? Should I be baptized again?
We firmly believe in one baptism per person in a lifetime. “One Lord, one Faith, one baptism…”
If you have already been baptized in a Christian church or in a special situation outside of worship (such as by a Christian chaplain serving at a hospital, prison, or in the military, etc.) we would not re-baptize you. If you participated in a baptism like ceremony offered by a non-Christian religion or cult like group, we would offer a Christian baptism.
Some Lutheran Christian Teachings regarding Holy Baptism:
Martin Luther on Infant Baptism
Lutheran Christian Sacraments
In the Lutheran tradition and teaching we understand that a sacrament has three elements:
1 – Commanded by Jesus Christ
2 – Uses a visible element
3 – imparts God’s Grace through God’s Word
Martin Luther Lutheran Church 