On Baptism

In the sacrament of baptism God gives us a gift. God confirms the promise of salvation, grants us a new and abundant life through his Son, Jesus, and assures us of God's steadfast love.

Through the sacrament of baptism we, as a community, welcome adults and children into our midst and promise to come alongside those being baptized to encourage them as they learn to answer Jesus' call to follow him everyday and in every way.

Baptism, like the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, is celebrated in the context of a worship service. It is not a private act; it's a public celebration.  Each time a person is baptized, the congregation gathered for worship has the privilege of resting in the assurance of God's love and dedicating themselves to supporting one another in the journey of faith.

When Jesus was baptized (see Matthew 3, Luke 3 and Mark 1) he heard his Heavenly Father proclaim, "You are my son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." In the same way, each time we celebrate a baptism, we remember our own baptism and how God gives us a new identity in Christ.

If you're interested in receiving the gift of baptism, please see our pastor or an elder for more guidance and prayer.  Baptism is the front door into God's community of faith - the church, and our hope is that the celebration of your baptism and/or of your child's baptism will be a special day.  We want to do all that we can to make that possible.

Is Baptism required for church membership?

Yes.  SMPC requires that baptism takes place prior to joining the church.  If you are planning to attend a Church 101 class (our membership class for those ready and not-so-ready to join), you may want to schedule a baptism date with the pastor.  Call the church office at 805-614-4779 if you have any questions.

Do I need to be a member of SMPC in order to have my child baptized?

No, but you must be a regular attender who considers SMPC to be your home church.