Methodists view the sacraments as means of grace, that is, a way of receiving a gift from God. A kiss is not just a symbol of love, it helps create and sustain love. Smoke is not just a symbol or reminder of fire, it is evidence of fire. In the same way, we believe that God is actively doing something to us and for us and in us through Baptism and the Lord's Supper — the two sacraments we recognize from Christ.
In Baptism, God uses water to adopt us into the Body of Christ and give us the gift of faith. We still need to respond to God’s offer of love with trust, but now God has started us down the road of Christian discipleship. Some are concerned with how much water is used. Full immersion is a vivid representation of our “dying and being raised in Christ.” Pouring water over the head reminds us of how our sins are washed away. And a handful of water on the head represents our anointing (Christ-ing) as a royal priesthood. Methodists baptize all these ways.
We do not think God requires abstract understanding for Baptism. Faith is not primarily a mental agreement to certain beliefs. It is a relationship of love, trust, and loyalty. Baptism is not a reward for having “arrived” or a graduation exercise. It is the beginning of our growth. So, we honor your Baptism at whatever age and in whatever form you received it. We do not ask God to repeat this grace as if it did not “take” the first time.
If you want to be Baptized — or have your kids Baptized — contact one of the pastors.
With the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist, Holy Communion), God offers forgiveness, unity with other Christians, and nourishment for increased faithfulness. It is a taste of a meal in which we believe that Christ is present just as any Giver is present in a Gift. The meal happens at Christ’s table, not a Methodist table, so we welcome all that are called by Jesus, including children. Children may not fully understand what is going on. (Do you?) But they do understand being included or excluded, and they learn by doing.
We offer the Lord’s Supper regularly in each of our morning worship services.