While we celebrate important milestones in life, such as marriages, funerals, baptisms and thanksgiving for the birth of a child. These are particular ‘rites of passage’ and deserve special attention.
The most important ‘ritual’ for us however is our weekly worship – a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, who we believe meets with us as we gather in his name.
The Sacraments
A sacrament is a symbolic act of the church through which it is believed that God expresses God’s love and grace to individuals and to the church. The Uniting Church recognises two sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion (or the Lord’s Supper).
Baptism
Baptism is the church’s rite of initiation. It incorporates a person, infant or adult into the church, which is the body of Christ. It is a sign of God’s gracious act for all people, giving himself in Jesus Christ, “who died for us all while we were still sinners” and bringing people to faith through the Holy Spirit.
Baptism in the Uniting Church is recognised by the world-wide Christian church. We use a certificate that is also used by The Anglican Church in Australia, The Catholic Church in Australia, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, The Lutheran Church of Australia and The Presbyterian Church of Australia. We do not believe baptism can be repeated. In other words, there is no second baptism recognised for adults who were baptised as children. We can, however, offer ways to publically affirm an adult’s commitment to the baptismal vows.
For more information on adult baptism – please contact Rev. Kath on 0409 650 118. We run classes for adult baptism called ‘Belonging’ and can offer full immersion for the baptism ceremony.
For more information on child baptism – please read the attached documents:
- Kiama-Jamberoo Information Booklet on Baptism for Parents.doc
- KJUC Information Summary for parents seeking Baptism
Holy Communion
The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (or Holy Communion) is central in worship. It is a sign and seal of Christ’s continuing presence with God’s people. The Lord’s Supper is based on the New Testament accounts of the meal Jesus shared with his disciples shortly before he died. The simple elements used then were bread and wine, and they are still used today, though different types of bread and wine are used in services of Holy Communion throughout the Uniting Church.
Anyone who loves Jesus is invited to share in Holy Communion at a Uniting Church. It is not necessary to be a confirmed member or even a baptised member to participate in Holy Communion, though it is seen as appropriate that the person or child has been baptised.