Services for Life Events (or “liturgies”)
Church communities are places where people mark important moments in their lives with special services (or “liturgies”). Baptism marks the welcoming of a new member to the family through birth or adoption. Confirmation (or Reception) marks the readiness to take on the responsibilities of full membership in the community. Marriage marks the creation of a new family through the exchange of vows between two adults. Burial marks the passing of a beloved person into a new relationship with God.
BAPTISM
“Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children, and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God”
Many children are presented by their parents and other trusted adults (called “godparents”) to be recognized as children of God in a liturgy called “baptism.”
Adults are also eligible to be baptized if they have not been baptized as a child.
Arrangements for preparation and baptism are made by calling the church office, (203) 239-0156.
CONFIRMATION
“Confirmation is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop”
Many young people and adults find this liturgy a profound opportunity to deepen their relationship with God, affirm their identity as an Episcopalian, and recommit to participating in God’s mission. You do not have to be confirmed to worship, take communion, or be a member of an Episcopal Church.
If you are a member of a different Christian denomination and would like to be “received” into the Episcopal Church, this liturgy is often combined with those seeking to be “confirmed.”
If you are interested in being confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church, call the church office, (203) 239-0156
MARRIAGE
(or Holy Matrimony)
“Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which two people enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows.”
The meaning of marriage as understood in the Episcopal Church goes beyond the particulars of the ceremony. Christian marriage is a relationship not only between two people, but also one involving those two people with their community, their church and God. Although membership in an Episcopal Church is not a prerequisite to being married here, the couple’s growing relationship with God in Christ is what makes a marriage Christian, so faith and church membership are important considerations during marriage preparation. The Episcopal Church recognizes that two people, regardless of their gender identities, can make these sorts of commitments.
To learn more, call the church office (203) 239-0156.
FUNERAL
“What do we mean by the resurrection of the body? We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our being, that we may live with Christ in the communion of the saints.”
Although the death of a loved one may overwhelm us with sadness, our sadness is eased by the faith that our beloved is not lost to God, but rather, is raised to a new life “where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting” (Episcopal Burial Service).
Therefore, while funerals and memorial services acknowledge our grief, they primarily celebrate the life of the person who has died—a life we know has been saved in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
St. John’s Memorial Garden, pictured here, is an area of repose for meditation and prayer. There is another more secluded and informal Memorial Garden as well. The ashes of loved ones may be interred in either garden as a part of the ministry of St. John’s Church.
To learn more call the church office (203) 239-0156