Information Concerning Baby/Child Dedications at Peaceful Valley Church

Dedicating your child to the Lord is an important matter and our church family is excited to assist you and be a part!

Baby/Child Dedication ceremonies are conducted by request.  For new babies, this is usually done within 6-8 weeks of the child being born.  Please contact Pastor Jim to discuss possible dates for a Baby/Child Dedication.  His phone number is 292-8584.  Private appointments with the pastor are NOT necessary prior to a baby/child dedication ceremony.  But IF you feel you have lots of questions concerning the significance of this event, OR you feel you cannot honestly answer “yes” to ALL the questions below you will be asked OR if you have questions about how a baby dedication is different than an infant baptism, please feel free to call the church office to schedule an appointment to talk with one of our pastors.

A Child Dedication Form is to be filled out and turned into the church office at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled Child Dedication service.  Invitation cards (with maps to the church) are available upon request to invite family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives, etc. to this special ceremony that will be held during our regular Sunday morning church services.

During the worship service, the Pastor will invite all parents/guardians, other significant family members, and the children they are dedicating to come to the front of the sanctuary.

The Pastor will take the microphone and ask one of the parents/guardians to introduce the child they are dedicating and tell the congregation their name, age and then read the verse they have chosen for the child (see attached list for possible suggestions).

The pastor will ask all the parents/guardians present the following questions as a group:

In presenting your children for dedication to the Lord, do you confess your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?  Response: I do or We do.

Do you understand…

1.         …Your child is a gift from God?   Response I do or We do.

2.         …Your child must see God’s love and truth lived out in your life day by day?  Response: I do or We do.

3.         …You must consistently pray for your child’s spiritual growth and protection for the rest of your life?  Response: I do or We do.

4.         …A healthy marriage relationship with each other is vital to the emotional and spiritual well being of your child?  Response: I do or We do.

5.         Do you promise to affirm this child in their obedience and show your love for them by disciplining them when they are disobedient?  Response: I do or We do.

6.         Do you promise to do your best to faithfully* attend church with your child and that you will you seek to lead your child to a personal faith* in Jesus Christ?     Response: I do or We do. (*Please note: If you cannot honestly make this promise at this time, we would request that you call and schedule a meeting with the pastor prior to scheduling your child for dedication).

The Pastor will then pray the following prayer of dedication (or something similar) “On the basis of the word of God and by the testimony of these family members, we dedicate these children to You Lord, we thank you for the gifts that they are, we joyfully encourage these parents, their children and our entire church family to pray and work together as we attempt to raise these children to know and love Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

The parents/guardians and children will then be dismissed from the platform to return to their seats (and/or to take their children to nursery or Sunday school).

Possible Bible Verses for Your Child’s Dedication Service

During your child’s dedication you will be asked to introduce your child and personally read a Scripture verse or passage that you have chosen for your child.  The following list provides you with a wide range of verses other parent’s have used in the past.  You can choose one of the verses listed or come up with a different verse that you would like to use.

Please indicate on your Baby Dedication Form which verse or passage you have chosen for your child.

Numbers6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Dt. 4:9Dt. 4:9
English: World English Bible – WEB
9 Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children;

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

Dt. 6:6-7Dt. 6:6-7
English: World English Bible – WEB
6 These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; ⁷ and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Luke 2:52Luke 2:52
English: World English Bible – WEB
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

1 Sam 2:261 Sam 2:26
English: World English Bible – WEB
26 The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men.

The boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men.

Luke 1:80Luke 1:80
English: World English Bible – WEB
80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

The child grew and became strong in spirit.

Luke 2:40Luke 2:40
English: World English Bible – WEB
40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

The child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Judges 13:24Judges 13:24
English: World English Bible – WEB
24 The woman bore a son, and named him Samson: and the child grew, and Yahweh blessed him.

The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him.

1 Sam 2:211 Sam 2:21
English: World English Bible – WEB
21 Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.

The boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

2 Sam 5:102 Sam 5:10
English: World English Bible – WEB
10 David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him.

He became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.

Ps 22:10Ps 22:10
English: World English Bible – WEB
10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.

From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Jos. 24:15Jos. 24:15
English: World English Bible – WEB
15 If it seem evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Pr 22:6Pr 22:6
English: World English Bible – WEB
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.