Sacraments....
St. Andrew, as part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) recognizes two sacraments - baptism and communion. Both sacraments take place as part of a worship service, in the company of the gathered community.
Baptism symbolizes an individual's joining the family of God, and participating in Christ's death and resurrection. The water is a visible sign of God's grace poured upon us. When we baptize we are reminded of Christ's baptism by John the Baptist, and each in the worshipping community has the opportunity to promise to nurture the individual along their faith journey. It is most common for us to baptize infants at the request of the parents, but Baptism is open to anyone who seeks it - infant, child, or adult. We baptize with water using the words of the trinity, "baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Communion is the gathering of the congregation around the table to share the bread and cup. As we do this, we are reminded of Christ's Last Supper with his disciples on the night of his arrest.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, Christmas Eve, and Maundy Thursday. Sometimes the elders share the elements by passing trays to those seated in the congregation, and sometimes worshippers are invited to come forward and receive the bread and cup at the table.
St. Andrew, as part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) recognizes two sacraments - baptism and communion. Both sacraments take place as part of a worship service, in the company of the gathered community.
Baptism symbolizes an individual's joining the family of God, and participating in Christ's death and resurrection. The water is a visible sign of God's grace poured upon us. When we baptize we are reminded of Christ's baptism by John the Baptist, and each in the worshipping community has the opportunity to promise to nurture the individual along their faith journey. It is most common for us to baptize infants at the request of the parents, but Baptism is open to anyone who seeks it - infant, child, or adult. We baptize with water using the words of the trinity, "baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Communion is the gathering of the congregation around the table to share the bread and cup. As we do this, we are reminded of Christ's Last Supper with his disciples on the night of his arrest.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, Christmas Eve, and Maundy Thursday. Sometimes the elders share the elements by passing trays to those seated in the congregation, and sometimes worshippers are invited to come forward and receive the bread and cup at the table.