Saturday, 30 August 2025

Dedication or Christening

One of the joys I have in being a minister is to dedicate (bless) infants. We do this because we believe in the loving example that Mary and Joseph set us 2000 years ago when they entered the temple courts in Jerusalem with the infant Jesus (Luke 2:21-40). In those days it was customary, and a legal requirement, for all Jewish infants to be dedicated to God. They would be blessed in the temple (the house of God) by a Rabbi or Priest in the presence of family and in the sight of God, .

Mary and Joseph, chosen to be Jesus’ surrogate parents, trusted and obeyed God to fulfil His future salvation plan. But they also did what was legally required of them as responsible and loving parents. Jesus Christ is a very special person. He is God’s son, who came down as a tiny baby as an act of God's love to save us from the bad things (sin) we sometimes do and to show how we should live and love one another. An infant dedication is not a christening or baptism because we believe that believer’s baptism by full immersion should be up the individual to decide whether it is for them when they are old enough. Nonetheless it recognises the important commitment to God and to one another that is being made.

In this special act of dedication all are invited to participate through the spoken promises made to show that God’s love is for each of us. It does not matter who we are, how old we are or where we come from. We just have to believe and trust that it is true and then choose to accept it for ourselves. 

Smile!😊God loves you! 

Best wishes, 

Pastor Robert and the Headcorn Baptist Church family.

Photo by Multimedios Del Sureste from Pixabay


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