Baptism & Confirmation Info
Baptism: Through baptism, we accept God's gift of grace through Jesus Christ and yield our lives to the leading of the holy spirit.
~Info taken from the book "Questions and Answers About the United Methodist Church" by Thomas McAnally
What is required of me to be a United Methodist?
Baptism ushers you into the Christian church universal, the family of Christ. If you have not been baptized you will be asked to repent your sins and profess your faith in God the father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Christian faith Testaments. You will also be asked to promise to "keep God's holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as a faithful member of Christ's holy church."
United Methodists baptize babies. Is it necessary for salvation?
When an infant is baptized, the parents promise to raise the child in a Christian home and the congregation recognizes its responsibility to nurture the child with Christian love. Those vows are later reaffirmed by the child when he or she is confirmed as a church members. While baptism is an important sacrament, it is not absolutely necessary for salvation.
How is baptism done in The United Methodist Church?
Sprinkling is the most commonly used, and first choice at our Pella UMC but pouring and immersion are also permissible.
After baptism, then what?
To be received into United Methodist membership you will be asked to be loyal to the church and "do all in your powers to strengthen its ministries." Last, you will be received as a member of a particular congregation by committing yourself to "faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service."
If I have already been baptized in another Christian denomination, must I be baptized to be a United Methodist?
No. Your previous baptism will be accepted, and you will only take vows of church membership.
What is the difference between baptism and confirmation?
One can be baptized any time after birth. Confirmation is the time when individuals confirm the vows that they took, or that were taken by their parents, at the time of baptism. Confirmation marks the time when a person is actually received as a member of The United Methodist Church. Generally, young people completing the sixth grade participate in a membership training class before they are confirmed.