Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1995 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 179These parents shall then assent to the Covenant of Baptism in relation to theirchild:(a) "Do you believe your child to be a gift of God and, although a lostsinner by nature and subject to condemnation, is holy in Christ, and as amember of his church ought to be baptized?"(b) "Do you promise to instruct your child in the principles of our holy faithas revealed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and assummarized in the Confession of Faith, Testimony, and Catechisms of thischurch; and do you promise to pray with and for your child, to set anexample of personal godliness before him/her, and to endeavor by all themeans that God has appointed to bring him/her up in the nurture andadmonition of the Lord?"The congregation may also be asked:"Do you, the members of this congregation, receive thisperson/child into your fellowship and promise to pray withhim/her and to help and encourage the parents as they seek tobring him/her up in the Christian life?"4.3 The congregation shall rise and after prayer for the presence andblessing of the triune God that the grace signified and sealed by holy baptismmay be abundantly realized, the minister, calling the person by name, shallpour or sprinkle the water on the head of the person, or persons, beingbaptized and say:"I baptize you into the name of the Father, and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit,"adding, if he so pleases, the Aaronic benediction:"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His faceshine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up Hiscountenance upon you, and give you peace." (Num. 6:24)The minister should then conclude in prayer, or may invite an assistingminister or elder to do so.4.4 The Session should keep an accurate record of all persons baptized,with the date, and, in the case of a child, with the names of the parents andthe date of birth. A certificate of baptism should be provided for eachperson baptized.The Lord's Supper5. The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is given to the church as aperpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ in his death. It signifies thesealing of the benefits of that death to true believers, their spiritual