In Christianity, baby dedication is one of the greatest privileges a parent has in their children’s life. Also, it is an important part of Christianity worship service. Today in this post I am going to explain you briefly about baby dedication and provide you a variety of professionally designed baby dedication to godparent’s certificate templates. If you are interested, continue reading our post to know more about baby dedication.
Baby dedication is a beautiful occasion, pastors have opportunity to share how parents express their full appreciation to God through baby dedication. There is no memorable moment for a parent when the new child enters the family. Parents who wants to reinforce their faith towards Christ often commit to raise their newly born child in the light of religion. The official way of this dedication or commitment happens through a baby dedication certificate. A certificate is a piece of document that makes a great addition to your child’s memory book.
We have designed different types of baby dedication certificate templates in different ways to make your job of creating baby dedication certificates easier. You can find our post full of printable templates and all are free of cost. Since, we are talking about baby dedication to godparent’s certificate, we have designed our templates in a simple and elegant way with formal wordings.
As this is the first step taken by any parent towards making their child follow the light of religion, create a certificate which your child may appreciate you after they grown up. To make a stunning and memorable baby dedication certificate, include the names of the parents, godparents and church leader on the certificate along with the name of the baby. The certificate can also be signed by concerned church members and family members.
Generally, the joyous moment of baby dedication occasion is celebrated in churches. Many churches provide baby dedication certificates after the event. If not, you can create baby dedication certificates on your own to commemorate the event. Let us see how!
Create Your Own Baby Dedication to Godparents Certificate Template
Step-1
Determine the god parents to whom you want to dedicate your child. The godparent can be any church leader, minister, special friend or any elder family member who is aware of baby dedication purpose clearly. Include some space in the certificate for the purpose of godparent signature.
Step-2
Begin your certificate with the parents name followed by the child’s name. The suggested wording can include, “We, (your names), as loving parents of (your baby’s name) dedicate ourselves to create a healthy and positive home for this child. We dedicate her before these family members and friends.”
Step-3
In this Christian ceremony, parents recognize that the child is a gift from the God and that is the reason they dedicate their children to the church godparents and ask them to raise the children in the faith of Christ. So, we need some vows to include in the baby dedication certificate. The vows include the promises made by the parents and the declarations you make to witnesses as a member of the community. Your certificate can also include the promises of the godparents make to the child.
Step-4
You can end the certificate by adding the date and place details where the godparents and witnesses could sign. As an official recognition of the event, parents should also sign the certificate at the end.
Step-6
Give the complete official and professional look to your baby dedication certificate by adding different font styles, formal edge designs and colors. You can decorate your certificate with your child’s hand prints or foot prints.
What is a baby dedication?
Baby dedication is a Christian ceremony in which parents and sometimes family members make a pledge of commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God’s says and God’s will and willing to raise the child according to God’s word.
This commitment clearly says that the Christian parents totally agree to raise their newly born baby in a Godly way until he or she could make their own decisions to follow the Lord. Have a look at few responsibilities of a parent when committed to baby dedication.
- Teaching and training the child in God’s Word
- Disciplining according to God’s Ways
- Demonstrating an example of Godliness
- Praying earnestly for the child
Here the above responsibilities of parent’s commitment to baby dedication shows that baby dedication certificate acknowledges not only the God’s sovereignty over the child but also the parents. Before the day of baby dedication ceremony, the pastors and church leaders should counsel the parents (about the meaning of dedication) as part of the baby dedication process.
Baby Dedication Origins
Baby dedication is a ceremony of celebrating new born child in one’s family. Many churches follow this practice and makes the ceremony success officially. They follow the practice of baby dedication instead of infant baptism (also called as christening). Roman Catholics follow the practice of infant baptism whereas Protestant denominations follow baby dedications. Because they believe that baptism comes later in one’s life as it is the individual’s decision to be baptized.
The Baby Dedication Ceremony
The baby dedication ceremony takes different forms and varies from one denomination to another denomination. It all depends on the practices and preferences of the denomination. Coming to the ceremony, people may prefer short and simple private ceremony and some may prefer baby dedication ceremony as one part of a larger worship service.
The typical format of conducting baby dedication ceremony involves reading of key Bible messages, passages and a verbal exchange in which the church head or minister asks the parents and godparents (if so included) whether they agree to raise the child in a Godly way. During the worship service, the pastor asks the parents to stand on the left side of him along with the baby and the godparents to the right. After the prayer is done, the baby is asked into the church father’s hand for special prayers and shifted to Godparents even to take their vows to raise the child in commitment of faith. This symbolizes that the child is being dedicated to the church community. This is finally followed by a final prayer and a small token of gift being offered to the child and parents, as well as a baby dedication certificate. The congregation may end the event by singing a song or hymn.
Key points to remember
- Baby dedication is a commitment to raise the child in God’s ways
- Does not use water while addressing the ceremony
- Baby dedication is performed on a child or infant
Final Words
Child dedication is open to the parents who can truthfully say, “I will commit myself to raising this child to know the Lord Jesus Christ by loving, discipline, training and setting a positive Christ like example.” If you are dedicated to elevate your new born child on your religious belief and want to commemorate the willpower, you can make a baby dedication certificates. Download our free baby dedication certificates and customize to your needs and style. Happy browsing!!
A baby dedication is an act of consecration of new born children to God practiced in evangelical churches. Most parents celebrate this occassion grandly in the church
area inviting their family, friends and relatives. During this ceremony, the parents also dedicate themselves to raising the child as a Christian. It is a biblical
practice that happens before the Lord confirming the baby is hereafter raised according to the God’s words and God’s says.
A godparent is supposed to be someone who sponsor’s a child’s official entrance into the church. In many denominations of Christianity, a Godparent can be mentioned
as either a Godmother or Godfather. A godparent is generally chosen by the parents giving full rights to raise their child according to God’s says and to take active
interest in a child’s character and personal development. Also, a godparent can claim for the legal guardianship of the child if in case anything happens to the parents.
A godparent must normally be an appropriate person, at least sixteen years of age, a confirmed Catholic who has received the Eucharist, not under any canonical penalty,
and may not be the parent of the child.
Being baptised is the only requirement for a person to become a godparent to a new born child. A Hindu or a Muslim who hasn’t baptised cannot be a godparent. However,
in some Catholic denominations, both the godparents must be Catholic, while in others, only one of them must. In some sectors of Christianity, godparents must be married.
In denominations of Roman Catholic Church, a godparent must be confirmed and approved by the church pastoror priest. He/she must be of 16 years of age and receive Holy
Communion. A child can have just a godmother, godfather or both the godparents.
