Baptism, Weddings, Funerals
Baptism
Holy Baptism is the rite of initiation into membership in the Church. It is one of the principal sacraments of the Church and is an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace. Holy Baptism is celebrated as part of our principle service of worship on Sunday mornings and is followed by the Holy Eucharist. During this service, the congregation as a whole promises to support the newly baptized in their lives in Christ and welcomes them as members of the Church. We baptize with Holy Water poured over the head, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The newly baptized are also anointed with oil of chrism and “marked as Christ’s own forever.”
Those who have been baptized (at our church or at another church) may receive Holy Communion and may take part in all other ministries of our church. Each person to be baptized should have at least two sponsors or godparents who will assist and support them in the faith. Adults wishing to be baptized and parents of children and infants may attend the Newcomer/Refresher Series for preparation and will also be invited to meet with the clergy by appointment for specific preparation for the Holy Baptism service.
Weddings
Marriage is a sacrament and a covenant in which a couple make a lifelong commitment to love, honor, and cherish one another. These vows are taken before God and in the presence of witnesses. At least one member of the couple should be a baptized member of Saint Augustine’s Episcopal Church. They should speak with a clergy member about their desire to be married in our church if possible at least 6 months prior to the date of the wedding. The couple will be expected to attend premarital counseling with a member of the clergy.
If either or both the bride and the groom have been previously married, permission to remarry in the Episcopal Church must be given by the Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia.
Marriages are not traditionally celebrated in Advent and in Lent because these are penitential seasons when festal liturgies, such as weddings, are not appropriate. Exceptions may be made under special circumstances.
Funerals
The clergy and lay ministers at Saint Augustine’s Episcopal Church are ready to offer support and guidance to individuals and families in the event of the death of a loved one. Our faith supports us in the hope and promise that at death “life is changed, not ended” and that nothing can separate us from the love of God. The burial service is therefore a celebration of the life of the deceased and is conducted with confidence in the promise of eternal life.
It is the tradition of the Episcopal Church that the service of Burial is an act of worship, conducted from the Book of Common Prayer, and “baptized Christians are properly buried from the church” rather than from a funeral home. The service will usually be conducted with the body or with cremated remains present. If the body is present, the BCP states that “the coffin is to be closed before the service, and it remains closed thereafter.” In the resurrection, we believe that we will be transformed and become part of the new creation, therefore efforts to enhance the mortal body after death are unnecessary, and cremation may be an appropriate choice.