Child Baptism
It is truly an honor and blessing for us at Holy Apostles to baptize your child. We will do our best to support you and your family as you grow in Christ at Holy Apostles.
It is also our responsibility to encourage you, as a parent and as a human being, to live a life in Christ, which means worshiping God at an Orthodox church on a regular basis, receiving the sacraments, keeping a prayer life, and being a current steward in the Orthodox Church.
If you are new to our community and have not been regularly attending an Orthodox Church, you are invited and encouraged to come worship and pray with us.
Before a baptism is celebrated, it is important that you and your family worship with us for three months prior to considering baptism at Holy Apostles. This is essential as you dedicate this three-month commitment to foster a spiritual discipline, to strengthen your life in Christ, and to begin a new pattern and spiritual journey with your child and family.
Baptism is likened to being grafted to the tree of Life, Jesus Christ, and we will do what we can to help your child grow into the person she/he was intended to be by God. To accomplish this sacred task, regular church attendance is expected.
Baptism makes the person a full member and participant in the body of Christ. And the Church has the responsibility to offer this sacrament to those who intend to live an active Orthodox Christian life.
If you have previously baptized a child at Holy Apostles or any other Greek Orthodox Church and you and your family have not been attending services, or participating in the sacramental life of the church, a request to have another child baptized at the Church will have to be discussed with the priest.
"Good Standing" Requirements for an Orthodox Christian to be a Godparent:
• Must be an Orthodox Christian in good standing
• A registered Steward of an Orthodox Parish.
• If married, must have been married in an Orthodox Church.
• If married in the Orthodox Church but now divorced, must obtain an Ecclesiastical divorce decree.
Please prayerfully consider choosing a godparent to be a support for your child’s spiritual journey. This is a lifelong commitment for the Godparent, who will be praying for and encouraging their godchild to live a full life in Christ.
We look forward to this sacred day. Please feel free to contact Fr. Tom with any questions or to schedule a baptism.
Items Needed for the Sacrament of Baptism:
1. Bath Towel (to wrap baby prior to Baptism)
2. Hand towel
3. Two candles (you can decorate them if you wish)
4. Olive Oil (small bottle)
5. Small bar of soap
6. Receiving sheet (twin/single bed sheet, to receive the child after she/he is baptized)
7. Baptismal clothing
8. Cross
Paperwork Info needed:
Father's Full Name
Father's place of birth (country)
Father's current residence (address, city, and state)
Mother's Full Name
Mother's place of birth (country)
Mother’s current residence (address, city, and state)
Parents’ wedding information:
Who performed the wedding?
Date of wedding (month, day, year)
Place of wedding (city, state, country)
Child's Full Name
Male or Female
Child's place of birth (city and state)
Child's date of birth (month, day, year)
Baptismal Name
Godparent's full name(s)
(If not a member of Holy Apostles Church, the Godparent must provide a letter of good standing from their parish Priest.)