1. Who should be baptized? 

Baptism is for everyone--babies, children, and adults. Because baptism is about God's grace, it's open to all.

2. If I change churches, do I need to get re-baptized?  Baptism is forever. Because God's grace is sufficient, we only need to be baptized once. Sometimes after a new spiritual experience, people who've already been baptized choose to reaffirm their baptism as recognition of how they are experiencing and responding to God's grace anew.  

3. Do I have to be a member of the church to be baptized or have my child baptized? Membership is not a requirement for baptism in The United Methodist Church. Being a Christian disciple through regular church involvement is important to the Christian faith. When baptizing children, parents commit to raising the child as part of a church community. If you are interested in joining the church, please share that with the pastor helping you with baptism arrangements. 

4. Does the baptism have to be during a church service? Yes, unless there is a particular disability or special need that prevents holding a baptism during regular worship services. In baptism, the congregation makes a commitment to you – to walk with you in the faith journey and to support your family. For this reason, the gathered congregation should always be part of the baptism ritual.  

5. When can I have a baptism? Baptisms may be scheduled at any of our regular Sunday services, but may not be available on some dates due to special events. Baptisms are generally not scheduled on the first Sunday of any month due to Communion, but exceptions can be made for special family circumstances. Families are asked to meet with one of our pastors before the date of their sacrament.

6. Should we have godparents for our child's baptism? In The United Methodist Church we don’t have “godparents” per se, but we do have baptismal sponsors. These persons are included in the ritual of baptism and commit themselves to supporting the child’s faith development. You will choose whether having sponsors is important to your family.