Let Us Welcome The Newly Baptized

I'm delighted to see that my previous church, North Macon Presbyterian has begun to use scripted prayer. I'd love to witness the beauty of this worship service when these two children are baptized on the Lord's Day. Here's an excerpt from the Worship Guide...

Congregational Prayer
ALL: Almighty God, we thank You that by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ You have overcome, sin and death and have brought us to Yourself. We thank You that by the sealing of the Holy Spirit, You have bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection to newness of life and have bound us to Yourself and to your service. Renew us, O Lord, by the same Holy Spirit, granting us an inquiring mind, an affectionate and discerning heart, and the courage to will and persevere in all that You would call us to, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PASTOR: Dear Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for Jerry and Stacie, who come with Rachel Morgan and Nicole Elizabeth, to declare publicly their allegiance to your Son our Savior: Deliver them, O Lord, from the way of sin and death. Daily open their hearts to your grace and truth. Fill them with your life-giving Spirit. Keep them in the faith and communion of your holy Church. Enable them to love others in the power of the Spirit. Send them into the world to be a witness to your grace and love. And preserve them until they arrive in their heavenly home to enjoy the fullness of your peace and glory.

PEOPLE: Lord, hear our prayer.

PASTOR: Father, we pray for these two children, Rachel Morgan and Nicole Elizabeth. Deliver them from the way of sin and death; open their hearts to your grace and truth; fill them with your life-giving Spirit; keep them in the faith and communion of your Church; prepare them to witness to your love; and bring them to the fullness of your peace and glory.

PEOPLE: Lord, hear our prayer.

PASTOR: And for these parents, Jerry and Stacie. Grant them grace so to live before their children, teaching them, praying with them and for them, that by their faithful living and through the power of the Gospel, all the promises of the covenant may be fulfilled in their lives.

PEOPLE: Lord, hear our prayer.

PASTOR: And we pray for ourselves, the congregation of North Macon Presbyterian Church: Grant us grace to see Rachel Morgan and Nicole Elizabeth as our own; to love them, pray for them, and assist these parents as duty done to You,
the one true God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

PEOPLE: Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.

The Welcome
PASTOR: Rachel Morgan and Nicole Elizabeth have been received into the one holy catholic and apostolic church through baptism. God has made them members of the household of God, to share with us in the priesthood of Christ. Let us welcome the newly baptized.

ALL: With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you into Christ’s church to share with us in his ministry, for we are all one in Christ.

PASTOR: The peace of Christ be with you.

PEOPLE: And also with you.