What Baptism Means
Baptism is the sign and seal of God's grace: a visible, tangible promise that God claims us in love before we can claim anything for ourselves.
In the Reformed tradition, baptism is understood as a sign of God's covenant. The water connects us to the deepest currents of Scripture creation, the flood, the exodus, the Jordan and to God's creative purpose, cleansing power, and redemptive promise from generation to generation.
We baptize both adults and children. The baptism of adults witnesses to the truth that God's grace calls for our response. The baptism of infants and young children witnesses to the truth that God's love reaches us before we are able to respond in faith. These are not two different sacraments; they are two forms of the same witness.
Because God's faithfulness is sure even when ours is not, baptism is not repeated. But we remember our baptism often every time we see the water in the font, every time we witness another's baptism, every time we gather at the Lord's Table.
At Westminster, the baptismal font holds water every Sunday, a practice rooted in the broader liturgical renewal movement in the Presbyterian Church. The font is set in full view of the congregation as a weekly reminder of the covenant into which we are baptized.
If you are interested in baptism for yourself, your child, or a family member, the first step is to reach out to Pastor Kallie. She will meet with you or your family to talk about what baptism means, what to expect, and to find the right time.
We prefer to schedule baptisms near significant dates in the church calendar: Easter, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Transfiguration, Christmas, and Ascension, as these seasons carry particular theological resonance with the sacrament. We typically avoid scheduling baptisms during Advent and Lent, which are seasons of preparation and waiting.
Baptism is celebrated during Sunday worship, in the presence of the whole congregation. When you are baptized at Westminster, the community makes promises alongside you to nurture, encourage, and support the life of faith that baptism begins.
Baptism at Westminster
Get in Touch
To learn more or begin the conversation about baptism, contact:
Rev. Kallie Pitcock, Pastor kallie@wpcnac.com | (936) 564-0203