Guidelines for Baptism

Overview

Holy Baptism is one of principal Sacraments of our Christian tradition. Holy Baptism offers a cleansing of one’s sins and a path to reconciliation that makes one a member of the universal Church and, more importantly, establishes an indelible bond between the individual and God in Jesus Christ.

Baptismal Dates and Times

There are four principal days for Baptism in the Episcopal Church: All Saints’ Sunday (the first Sunday after November 1st), the Baptism of Jesus (the beginning of January), the Easter Vigil (usually in April); and Pentecost (50 days after Easter).

And since Holy Baptism is the welcoming of a new member into the household of God, as well as the specific community that is Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Baptisms take place in the midst of our community’s weekly celebration, which are our Sunday services (either at 8:00 or 10:00 A.M. in English or 12:15 P.M. in Spanish).  On request, Baptisms are also available in French.

Only under the most extenuating of circumstances will baptisms be performed outside of this framework, with the express consent and authorization of the Provost of the Cathedral.

Requirements 

Children of Members

We welcome members who wish to have their children baptized at our Cathedral, as well as those families who have some historic ties to Trinity (i.e. former members) and who now live in other communities. To begin the process, a ‘Baptismal Information Sheet,’ available through the Cathedral office, needs to be completed and returned. Once this information has been received, a meeting will be scheduled between the parent(s) and one of the Cathedral clergy. 

Children of Non-members

For those interested in having their children baptized, but who are not members of the Cathedral, baptisms will only be scheduled with the assurance that the parent(s) will fulfill the promises and vows of Baptism by maintaining an active membership in our community. As such, the parent(s) will agree, at a minimum, to attend services (preferably weekly), participate in at least one church ministry and support the well-being of the Cathedral through their generous tithes. If these requirements are agreed to, an appointment with the Cathedral clergy must be scheduled no less than three months before the intended Baptism. 

Adults

Baptism is appropriate for those who desire to be active participants of our church and who have not been previously baptized in another faith community. In most cases this will mean that the baptismal candidates will have been attending worship regularly for a period of no less than three months, and will have contributed to the parish in some traceable fashion (i.e. time, talent or treasure). After this period of time, adults seeking Baptism will need to schedule a meeting with the Cathedral clergy and attend an Inquirers Class.

Customary Donations

There are no fees charged for the Sacraments of the Church. However, a gift to the Cathedral in your name or in the name of a baptized child is always appropriate and gratefully received. An offering of $250 is suggested, to help cover the expenses to the Cathedral, as well as to help with our continuing outreach efforts to the community.

Godparents and Sponsors

Godparents (for children), or Sponsors (for adults), play an important role in Baptism. For godparents, at least one must be a baptized Christian and all must promise to help raise the child in the Christian life and faith. Careful consideration should be given to who in your life is willing and able to take on this role. While we do not place a limit on the number of godparents, we believe that two is sufficient.

Holy Communion

Any baptized member of the church, regardless of age, may partake in Holy Communion. Since Baptism is the primary entrance rite of the church, we consider any baptized person a full member of our church. As such, there is no “First Communion” in the Episcopal Church. While we encourage baptized children to receive Communion, we leave this to the parents’ discretion. Specific instruction about Communion takes place during Sunday School. Since you may have family members or guests who are not Episcopalians, we encourage you to advise them in advance that all baptized Christians are welcome to receive Communion.

Next Steps

If you are interested in Baptism for yourself or for your child, please contact us at either office@trinitymiami.org or by calling 305-456-8851.