By Water and the Spirit puts it this way: Those who are baptized are also confirmed, remembering that our ritual reflects the ancient unity of baptism, confirmation (laying on of hands with prayer), and Eucharist. What Is the Appropriate Age for Baptism and for Confirmation? Does baptism make me a member of The United Methodist Church? God is free to offer God's salvation if for some reason you have not been baptized by the time you die. Yes. "Confirmation" is a moment of recognition of the work of God's grace in the life of a person previously baptized as well as a full embrace of being a disciple of Jesus in one own's right. By Water and the Spirit recognizes these distinctions: So, the question of what age to baptize is related to the circumstances of the individual. Daniel Benedict is retired from the staff of Discipleship Ministries. What is the appropriate age for confirmation? Used with permission. "The ritual of the baptismal covenant included in The United Methodist Hymnal makes clear that the first and primary confirming act of the Holy Spirit is in connection with and immediately follows baptism." Most United Methodist churches offer a formal process with a class or group leading to the ritual of confirmation for those who choose to receive it. The baptizing of a person, whether as an infant or an adult, is a sign of God's saving grace. No. It is God's grace that makes the sacrament whole." Youth who were not baptized as infants share in the same period of preparation for profession of Christian faith. In the early church, baptism, the laying on of hands, and Holy Communion were unified into a single ritual moment. A time of preparation may continue through junior high and into the high school years. Or at twenty-one? Parents wishing to have their children baptized should approach their local Methodist minister at the earliest possible moment. . The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. By Water and the Spirit, our statement on baptism, explains, "The power of the Spirit in baptism does not depend upon the mode by which water is administered, the age or psychological disposition of the baptized person, or the character of the minister. And check out other recent Q&As. When is too young to be baptized? Can he or she be part of the "confirmation preparation"? Infant baptism is the prevailing practice in situations where children are born to believing parents and brought up in Christian homes and communities of faith. Baptism already celebrated that! There is a study edition of the paper by Gayle C. Felton entitled By Water and the Spirit: Making Connections for Identity and Ministry. Yes, the unbaptized can share in the same experiences. It is a response of faith to the gracious covenant into which God baptizes us. What matters is that you were baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by someone authorized to do so. The Methodist Church Registered Charity no. Episode 39: Small Groups – Baptism’s Connection to Discipleship (Part II). "The ritual of the baptismal covenant included in. Yes, the unbaptized can share in the same experiences. . In many United Methodist congregations, preparation for confirmation begins when youth enter their junior high school years (seventh or eight grade). You become a professing member when you take the vows of baptism and membership for yourself in a public service of the baptismal covenant. Can he or she be part of the "confirmation preparation"? The key word here is beginning. Baptism begins God's work of saving us by cleansing us of sin and beginning the work of renewing us fully into the image of Christ. But having another mature Christian who pledges to support your child toward making a public commitment to Christ and growing in holiness of heart and life can be a great blessing. This time or group experience should more accurately be called "confirmation preparation." We do not re-baptize those who have already received Christian baptism. There is a study edition of the paper by Gayle C. Felton entitled, "Confirmation" is a moment of recognition of the work of God's grace in the life of a person previously baptized as well as a full embrace of being a disciple of Jesus in one own's right. "There is no obvious difference in understanding, for example, between the Methodist Church and the Church of England about Confirmation itself. Because the timing of confirmation has often historically corresponded to an age when candidates begin to assume adult responsibilities in the wider culture, more congregations in a number of denominations are considering middle or late high school as a more appropriate time for confirmation. Baptism and confirmation According to the Methodist Worship Book, baptism (or Christening) marks entry into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, of which the Methodist Church is part. To find out more about this dimension of congregational life, click here. Baptism is part of a lifelong process of salvation, so any age is an appropriate age for baptism. At a Service of Confirmation, baptized Christians are also received into membership of the Methodist Church and take their place as such in a local congregation. Our official paper, By Water and the Spirit , puts it this way: There is one baptism as there is one source of salvation — the gracious love of God. Those who are baptized are also confirmed, remembering that our ritual reflects the ancient unity of baptism, confirmation (laying on of hands with prayer), and Eucharist. Have questions? The Methodist Church based in Britain sent missionary George Piercy to China. A time of preparation may continue through junior high and into the high school years. . In the Methodist Church baptism as an infant would normally be followed by confirmation and reception into membership at the point where the person wishes to take on the commitment and responsibility of Christian discipleship for themselves and to play a full part in the life of the Church.This is best summed up in the Methodist Worship Book: "In Confirmation, those who have been baptized declare their faith in Christ and are Strengthened by the Holy Spirit for continuing discipleship. What if a youth or adult has not been baptized? All stand in need of it and none can be saved without it. An infant who is baptized cannot make a personal profession of faith as a part of the sacrament. Does the bible give us a minimum age before we allow one to obey the gospel? Most United Methodist churches offer a formal process with a class or group leading to the ritual of confirmation for those who choose to receive it and are deemed ready to do so by their pastor (See Judicial Council Decision #1032.) Does it matter how I was baptized, whether by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling? The person must be convicted… . No. Can any person ever fully grasp and commit to all that it means to follow Jesus? In other words, the confirmand is taking responsibility for living as a member of the body of Christ and for fulfilling God's purposes. It is God's grace that makes the sacrament whole.". Or in the ninth grade? Baptism already celebrated that! ", We say baptism is the "ordinary" or "instituted" means of justifying grace. Liang (age 63) baptized Chau (quite young) in 1852. Confirmation reminds us that we are baptized and that God continues to be at work in our lives: we respond by affirming that we belong to Christ and to the whole People of God. For them, it is nurture for baptism, for becoming members of the Church, and for confirmation. Or at twenty-one? If you were, we believe you have received Christian baptism. Since all of us, of whatever age, are on a journey and are beginners, baptism is the ritual beginning of life in Christ and is entry into the church. If I am baptized, does that mean I will be saved no matter what? In other words, the confirmand is taking responsibility for living as a member of the body of Christ and for fulfilling God's purposes. According to United Methodist teaching, any age is appropriate for baptism since all persons stand in need of God's grace. Infants cannot exercise faith. Infant baptism and the baptism of adults are both appropriate, depending on the circumstances. Infant baptism rests firmly on the understanding that God prepares the way of faith before we request or even know that we need help (prevenient grace). However, the Church of England does not have any strong sense of "membership" of the Church of England (so, for example, there is no transfer of membership when a person moves from one area to another). In many United Methodist congregations, preparation for confirmation begins when youth enter their junior high school years (seventh or eight grade). Do I have to be baptized to receive communion in The United Methodist Church? Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes, There Is Now That grace — experienced by us as initiating, enabling, and empowering — is the same for all persons. Can you be baptised as a child and as an adult - for instance if you return to the Church after a break? My 10-year-old son recently completed a five-week course at our church on sexuality and puberty that is grounded in scripture and faith practices. What is the person preparing for? The Methodist Church, like most denominations of the Christian Church, administers the sacrament to both adults and young children. All sponsors or godparents should be mature Christians ready to help your child grow in faith and love toward God and neighbor. If the family is not practicing the Christian life with the church, then it is not likely to ask for baptism. If parents, church, pastor, and the confirmands live in expectancy that God's grace will always be inviting us to more faith, deeper discipleship, and newer experiences of our calling, then we will not be tempted to think of confirmation as some kind of "graduation" from church or Christian living. For this reason, statistics of church membership are counts of professed/confirmed members rather than of all baptized members. By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Discipleship copyright © 1996 Discipleship Ministries. The answer depends on the committee. Discipleship Ministries Baptism starts the process. Reign of Christ/Thanksgiving Sunday, Year A, Company's Coming A baptized infant comes to profess her or his faith later in life, after having been nurtured and taught by parent(s) or other responsible adults and the community of faith. Planning Resources Laying on of hands as a confirming sign was left for later, partially because only the bishop could confirm and he might not be available until sometime later. Episode 38: Small Groups – Baptism’s Connection to Discipleship (Part 1). . We strongly urge you to become familiar with the official paper, By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism, available in The United Methodist Book of Resolutions. Just as infants are members of their human families, but are unable to participate in all aspects of family life, so baptized infants are members of the Church — the family of faith — but are not yet capable of sharing everything involved in membership. Or the family may ask for baptism out of some sense that they "should" do so, in which case the church and the pastor will want to explore the family's desire and work with the family to discern the appropriate path to follow. United Methodists baptize both infants and children, and adults. Such a person must come to claim the faith of the Church proclaimed in baptism as her or his own faith. By Water and the Spirit, our statement on baptism, explains, "The power of the Spirit in baptism does not depend upon the mode by which water is administered, the age or psychological disposition of the baptized person, or the character of the minister. (By Water and the Spirit). . We can choose by our action or inaction to let the work begun go dormant and have no fuller effect. There is one baptism, which is recognized by all the mainstream Churches that baptize infants, including the Methodist Church and the Church of England.