Yes! We believe baptism is a gift of God for people of all ages. Because baptism is God’s work, not ours, there are no age or knowledge requirements. Baptism is about God saying “Yes!” to us. The validity of baptism does not rely on our understanding, but on God’s faithfulness.

Baptism is the entrance rite to the Christian faith. In baptism, you are adopted into God’s family, the Church, which is the body of Christ. If you’ve never been baptized, you will become a member of Living Hope as soon as you’re baptized here. Or, if you have already been baptized in another church, there’s no need to be baptized again-you’ll affirm your baptism in the presence of the congregation when you become a member.

If you’re not a member and you’re interested in being baptized yourself or in having your child baptized, let’s talk! We will ask you to attend at least one or two worship services ahead of time so you know what you’re getting into, but we certainly don’t expect you to already be an active member before contacting us to learn about baptism.

Absolutely not! Baptism is a free gift from God that the church is given the duty and privilege of stewarding. There’s no fee or charge for baptism! Spiritually, of course, there is a great cost, as baptism represents your sinful self drowning in the water and being raised with Christ to new life. Baptism’s cost is saying no to the temporary things of this world and saying yes to God’s gift of eternal life.

Before the baptism, Pastor Daniel will set up a time to meet for about an hour to discuss how we understand baptism in the ELCA Lutheran tradition. We’ll look briefly at what the Bible says about baptism, watch a video, and go through what to expect in the baptismal service.