Baptisms and DedicationsAt Community of Hope baptisms are done on the third Wednesday and Sunday of the month during the worship services.
We are receiving a large number of requests for baptism, so we ask that you schedule your baptism far enough in advance so you can select the third Sunday in the month you prefer.
Contact: Sharon Rick | sharonrick@cohlc.org | 651-322-5679 ext. 201
Community of Hope's Position
Community of Hope Lutheran Church is a Christian community that seeks to faithfully live out God's Biblical truth. We are an eclectic community. Though we are Lutheran in affiliation, the Holy Spirit has led people of many backgrounds to us. Those various backgrounds bring with them valid, Biblically grounded expressions of faith. Exploring those expressions is a great joy in ministry.
The Lutheran church has always seen infant baptism as a valid expression of God's grace. Though baptism has not been viewed as essential for salvation (…we are saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8-10), it has been understood as a means through which God pours his grace upon people, a grace that is received by faith. Lutheranism recognizes baptism as one of two sacraments, the other being Holy Communion.
Historically, Lutheranism has stood against two mandates "infant only or adult only (believers)" baptism. Lutheranism has also stood against "rebaptism" and instead has called for recommitment or "affirmation" of baptism.
Community of Hope, seeking to fully express the Bible's perspective on this issue has done both infant baptisms and infant dedications since its ministry began. Following is the Biblical and historical exploration that led to this determination.
Biblically, baptism is expressed in a variety of ways.
Is Baptism of Children Biblical? Yes.
(See Acts 10:48 , Acts 16:33 , and Colossians 2:9-12)
Here we see entire households being baptized and a connection between baptism and circumcision which was done on the 8 th day after birth.
Is Dedication or Presentation of Children Biblical? Yes.
(See 1 Samuel 1:24-28, and Luke 2:21-22)
Both baptism of infants and dedication of infants were practiced in early Christianity. 2 nd century Christian leaders convey that both were part of the early Christian community and that there was already disagreement about the validity of each.
Is Baptism the Same as Dedication? No.
Dedication focuses on setting a child apart for God and, more importantly, parent's responsibility in raising that child in the ways of God. Baptism is designated as a covenantal sign, is associated with regeneration and promise and bestows an identifiable claim by God on a life. When a child is baptized parents carry the responsibility for faithfully raising that child in the ways of God.
How, Then, Do We Approach this Issue?
A point of Biblical clarity: Parents are Responsible! (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 6:1-4) The one certainty we have in Scripture is that parents are responsible to raise their children in the faith. And they will be held accountable for that responsibility.
So we entrust parents to make appropriate faith decisions for their children. We expect those decisions in all areas of Christian life, including Holy Communion and baptism. Though baptism is always encouraged, parents may, in good conscience, wait for a child to be baptized until they reach an "age of understanding." For those families, dedication provides a public time of family commitment to raising a child in the ways of the Lord.
Finally...
I recognize that this may be new to some of you, and that the information above is brief. Don't hesitate to contact me with questions.
Pastor Per Nilsen,
pernilsen@cohlc.org
Adult Ministries
