Baptizing without a Chuch

Dip it in the sink.

Well, while that might be entertaining, I was hoping for a more formalized version.

Bring the kid down to my swamp. We'll do it the Old Southern way.

Bella,

Baptizing your baby in Gustav's swamp would be a great way to show your loyalty to A2K.

(First check with the Board of Health in Gustav's county!)

Bella Deai If you are, as you say,"without church", why in the world do you want your baby to be baptized? If the child is baptized it is considered that he/she is part of the church. Do you intend to send the child for religious lessons?

IMO, it might be a good idea if you thought this whole thing through. Are you "covering your bets"?

I guess maybe I should have said we are Christian but have no denomination and don't attend church but want our baby to have a christian baptism....and what churches would do it for us? Is it possible?

Bella Dea- I am certainly not an expert on the subject, but if I were you I would ask the pastors in the churches in your neighborhood. Be careful about a church that might attempt to make your participation in the church a condition of the baptism.

I "Googled" "Non-Denominational Baptism" and found quite a bit. You might want to take a look-see.

Interesting question Bella!

You might look at an Interdenominational church - they're an offshoot of the Catholic church but I believe they do baptisms into the "community of God" (for lack of a better description on my part).

I'm going to snoop around...

Bella--


You never struck me as a superstitious person, but two non-practicing "Christians" to have a baby baptised seems more like protective ritual than piety.

Are you placating family members?

Hmmmm.....



I don't know if you'd have to be a member of the church to hold the service but the idea holds food for thought.

I believe a baptism can be done by any ordained clergyperson. Perhaps something like this could be done in the same way.

My neices were baptised in a lovely home ceremony by a Catholic Priest.

Noddy, in a way yes. Many people in my family would be crushed if we didn't have the baby baptized.

In another way, I want to do it because baptism to me is saying I believe in God. I don't believe that if you don't get baptized you are doomed. But I think it's a ceremony that says we believe in God and want our baby to be blessed.

Which is why I want it to be non-denominational. I don't want to join a church.

Personal Testimonial :-)
Bella Dea, Congratulations! (I have missed a lot.)

Mr. Piffka baptized our first-born on his own. I thought this a little odd considering his attitude on religion, but I think whatever instincts someone has on this issue is correct for them.

We were in the mountains camping and he said, truly spur-of-the-moment. I'm going to baptize her today. We happened on a beautiful clear & quiet stream while walking in the woods. Holding her gently in one arm, he let a few drops of sweet water touch her forehead and he called her name, welcoming her into the material world and calling on ??? (I dunno, the great beyond?) to take good care of her. She was about four months old and cuddly adorable.

The entire program lasted all of a minute or less. We did not have champagne afterwards. I am the caretaker for her great-great grandpa's Christening gown but since I had no idea that we'd have this ritual, I didn't pack it along.

One thought is to try a Congregational Church. Then tend to be more open minded about things. I got married in one and we were not members. When we were going through our Pre-maritial classes - there was only 3 and it was just us and the minister. The first class we had to answer some open-ended questions. She said there were no right or wrong answers - they were posed in such a way as to open up discussion on topics that couples should talk about before they get married. I know they were certainly open minded when one asked about an unwanted pregnancy - know if this were a Catholic Church and many other Christian Churches there certainly would be only one answer for that!

That's beautiful, Piffka.