A
Ceremony of Welcome
The
arrival of a child into a family is a cause for celebration. Many
people experience a sense of awe at the creation of new life, and
want to express their thanks to God. This ceremony provides an
opportunity for parents, family, and friends, to give thanks for the
new child, and to pray for family life. It may be a private or a
public celebration, at home or elsewhere. It is not the same as
Baptism (sometimes called Christening), which is the sacrament of
initiation into membership of the Christian church.
You
will need a Loving Cup of wine or juice for everyone to share, and a
large candle and matches to light it. Please use common sense when
lighting candles and ensure everyone's safety.
Please
note that the Rites of Passage liturgies are offered as templates,
and
should be adapted as appropriate for your particular gathering.
There
may be one leader, or you can take it in turns around the circle of
speak the biddings. Everyone is invited to join in saying the words
in large bold type.
The
liturgies, celebrations, ceremonies, prayers, and reflections offered
on this blog are the result of my thoughts, reflections, and
experiences, woven together using my own words and sometimes adapting
the words others have used: I am indebted to their wisdom. Please use
these liturgies freely, adapting them as suits your own context. I am
always pleased to hear from people who have used them.
The
Welcome:
We
gather today to celebrate the arrival of a child,
to
welcome her/him into our hearts and lives,
and
formally to give her/him a name of her/his own.
The
arrival of a child is a solemn and joyous event in the life of a
family,
and
an occasion for rejoicing in the community.
I
bid you, therefore, to join (parents' names)
in
giving thanks to the Lord of all life for this gift of a
daughter/son,
(and
with (names) for a new sister/brother),
and
to support them in their responsibilities with prayer and love.
(Parents'
names), do you receive this child as a gift from God?
We
do.
Do
you wish to give thanks and seek a blessing for your child?
We
do.
Child,
you open our hearts once again
to
the mystery and wonder of love and life,
and
your arrival is a blessing to us all.
We
welcome you:
Child,
we welcome you with the greeting of love,
with the
greeting of light, with
the greeting of life!
The
Thanksgiving:
God
our creator, we thank you for the mystery of human love,
and
for the wonder of this new life, this child,
who
has been given to (parents' names)
and
who has become part of our world.
We
thank you for all whose support and skill
surround
and sustain the beginning of life.
We
thank you that we are known to you by name,
and
loved by you from all eternity.
Lord
of all life, we thank you
for
the blessing you bestow on this family, and on us all,
in
the gift of this child.
The
Promises of the Parents and Guardians:
To
be a parent is to love and nurture,
and
to lead a child happily to fulfil her/his potential.
It
is to guide her/him along life's path,
teaching
her/him and learning from her/him,
reining
her/him in, and giving her/him wings.
It
is to smile at her/his joy and weep at her/his pain,
to
walk beside her/him, and, one day,
to
allow her/him to walk alone.
To
be a parent is a great gift,
and
the greatest responsibility we shall ever have.
God
of love, confirm this family's joy
by
a lively sense of your presence with them.
Give
them calm strength and quiet wisdom
as
they seek to bring this child to love all that is
true
and just, gracious, pure, and peaceful.
The
parents say:
We offer our thanks for the gift of
this child,
entrusted
to our care.
We
promise to bring her/him up to the best of our ability,
with
patience, understanding, and laughter,
ready
to guide, to learn, and to forgive.
We
will delight in her/him every day,
sharing
pleasures and pains,
times
of fun and times of trial,
and
we will always love her/him.
(Guardians'
names), you stand beside (parents' names)
in
caring for this child.
To
be a child's guardian is to love and to nurture,
to
show guidance and to counsel;
it
is to help the child make choices
should
s/he need assistance as s/he grows;
it
is to be a second mother and father, and to be there when called
upon.
Will
you do all that you can to help and support
(parents'
names) in the bringing up of this child?
The
guardians say:
We promise that we will do all we can
to
help in the good upbringing of this child.
Child,
we welcome you into your family
and
into our hearts.
Your
parents love you, and we are glad
that
they have given you the gift of life.
We
thank them for sharing with us the joys,
the
challenges, and the risks of parenthood.
We
ask God to watch over you and us,
and
we pray that you and your family
are
blessed with love and light.
The
Naming:
What
name do you give this child?
(Parents:) Her/his
name is (name).
Child,
you are (name).
Bear
your name with honour,
and
become who you are, unique and precious.
May
you bring joy into your family,
share
a glad welcome with all those you meet,
and
light up this world with love.
(Parents'
names), receive this candle on behalf of (name)
as
a sign of God's light in her/his life.
Light
it on her/his birthday,
on
the anniversary of this welcome ceremony,
and
at times both of sorrow and of rejoicing.
(Name),
may you always be healthy and happy;
may
you have love in your heart, and light in your life,
and
may you be a bright blessing to all who meet you.
Amen!
Reading:
Luke 18.15-17
The
Blessing:
As
the Jesus took children in his arms and blessed them,
so
now we ask God's blessing on (name):
God
of love, of light, of life,
we
praise you for (name's) arrival among us.
Surround
her/him with your blessings,
that
s/he may learn to love all that is true,
and
grow in kindness and strength.
Bless
her/his parents and guardians,
and give them
grace to love and care for (name).
Help
them to provide for (name's) needs
with
wisdom and patience, good humour and faith,
and,
by their example, reveal to (name)
the
ways of truth and love.
The
Honouring:
(Parents'
names), as the loving cup is passed from hand to hand,
carry
(name) around the circle of your family and friends,
so
that everyone may greet your new child, saying,
before
they take a sip from the cup:
(Name),
I welcome and honour you!
The
Closing Words:
(Name),
we have welcomed, named and honoured you,
offered
our thanksgiving to God for your coming,
and
asked for blessings upon you and your family.
Now
we lift up your future to God's care:
Into
your hands, O God, we place this child, (name).
Support
her/him today and always
in
her/his sorrows and joys, and in her/his mistakes and successes.
As
s/he grows in age, may s/he grow also in grace.
(Name),
may the sun bring you new energy by day:
may
the moon softly restore you by night.
May
the rain wash away your worries:
may
the breeze fill you with new strength.
May
you walk gently through the world:
and
know its beauty all the days of your life. Amen!
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