Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of the sacred mysteries of the Church Baptism incorporates human beings into the Body of Christ and the Church. Through Baptism men and women of all ages and walks of life are introduced to the life of the Holy Trinity at the Annunciation in Little Rock. Because it is through Baptism that one is introduced into the dynamic life in Christ, age is not a factor. An infant is usually baptized between five and ten months of age. In the case of a child, parents are encouraged to carefully select the sponsor (godparent) for their child. In the eyes of the Church, a godparent shares with the parents the responsibility for the spiritual growth of the child and becomes an indissoluble spiritual member of the family. The sponsor is more than a ceremonial position as they should serve as an important role in the life of the child as they do in the celebration of the sacrament. Ultimately, the sponsor should be an individual whom the parents are confident will provide their child with a dynamic model of the Orthodox Christian way of life outside of the immediate family.
Before making any other arrangements, one must call the Church office to arrange for the date and time of a Baptism at least two months in advance. When preparing to contact the parish to schedule a baptism, parents must be prepared to give the name and address of the Orthodox sponsor so that pertinent instructions outlining the sponsor’s role in the Baptism may be sent to them prior to the sacrament. Because Orthodox Christians cannot independently maintain a meaningful relationship with the Lord apart from the Church, the sacraments are an integral part of our life within the Church, and the Church is the vehicle of the Holy Spirit, it is incumbent of parents and sponsors alike to be faithful stewards of their respective Orthodox Christian Church.
Requirements for one to serve as a Sponsor or Godparent:
- A prospective sponsor must be an Orthodox Christian over the age of twelve, who is in good standing with the Orthodox Church, and a steward of their local parish.
- A prospective sponsor who is from Orthodox Church other than the Annunciation in Little Rock must a provide a letter of “Good Standing” from their Orthodox parish well in advance of the scheduled date of the Sacrament.
- If a prospective sponsor is married, he or she must have been married in the Orthodox Church. If divorced, he or she must have received an Ecclesiastical Divorce and submit evidence thereof.
- Typically, a prospective sponsor should be able to attend the Divine Liturgy with the newly-baptized for three consecutive Sundays thereafter in order to receive Holy Communion together.
- It is typically the responsibility of the godparent to provide certain liturgical items, a list of which may be obtained from the Church Office.
Please Note: There are some dates in the Church’s Liturgical calendar when Baptisms may not be celebrated: Great Lent, Holy Week, Easter, from Christmas to Epiphany (December 25 – January 6), and on a number of other major feast days. Please contact Fr. Nicholas at the Church Office for further information.
