Infant Dedication

Children are a gift from God, as such it is fitting to give thanks to God for such wonderful gifts. Also we recognise as parents that when God gives these gifts to us he also places upon us a tremendous responsibility. It is more than the responsibility of supplying their needs until they are old enough to look after themselves. It is the responsibility of guiding their lives both by our teaching and our example along biblical lines, so that they grow up 'mature in Christ' and in his word.
So we do not 'Christen' a child as some other Churches practise. Rather we hold a service of dedication in which we have three main themes:
a). Both the parents and the congregation give thanks to God for the gift of the child.
b). The parents promise God that they will (with the help of the Church) teach the child the truths about the Christian faith & they promise to be an example to the child, as to how those truths are to be expressed in their lives. It is said 'the Christian faith is caught and not just taught'. Therefore it is important not just to tell children about God - but to show them God at work in us.
c). We ask God to bless the child and the family that it will be growing up in. We recognise that Christian parenthood and the Church's ministry is that the child should grow:-
Into personal faith in Jesus Christ.
To follow Him (Christ)through the waters of 'Believers Baptism'.
To enter into full membership of His (Christ's) Church.
To grow and mature into Christian men & women.
This is an almost impossible job for any parents and we realise that it cannot be done without help. But we do not pass this responsibility off onto other people by appointing godparents. Instead we realise are own limited abilities  and ask God for help.
"If the Lord does not build the house the work of the builders is useless"  Psalm 127:1
We believe that with His help these young lives can be shaped in such a way, as to come through all of the problems of life with a strength that enables them to know their purpose in life and find fulfilment in God.