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If you are reading this page because you are wondering about being baptised yourself or are inquiring for your child, then it’s lovely to have your interest.

It will be helpful to know some more about Baptism to help consider whether the ̨��UUֱ�� is the right place for you to pursue this inquiry.

What is Baptism?

Jesus commanded his first followers to

“make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a).

The early church book of Acts tells us what happened with first generation Christians. Adults who had decided to trust Jesus as Lord and Saviour were baptised in water after their conversion.

And the New Testament mentions several times that when the head of a home believed, the whole household was baptised, which likely included children. (You can read more about the implications for the infants and children of believers here.)

So in the Bible, baptism neither confers God’s grace, let alone acts as a precondition to earning it. It’s not even so much a sign of what we do in professing our faith.

What does Baptism symbolise?

The act of baptism symbolises the washing away of sin for those who turn to Jesus (e.g. , also ). It’s linked to the idea of turning away from our old way back to God (which the Bible calls 'repentance').

Baptism is also a sign of what God does, through uniting us with Christ, especially in the benefits of his death and resurrection (e.g. ).

Baptism is therefore only meaningful where there is a genuine decision and desire to follow Jesus and to serve him for the whole of our lives.

Who may be baptised?

Any person who professes faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and has at least a basic understanding of the Christian faith, may be baptised.

In the case of children, it is the parents (and godparents) who act as the child’s sponsors. This is only meaningful where the parents (and godparents) have a genuine faith in Christ themselves, which ought to be seen in daily life and weekly engagement at church (e.g. ).

Therefore if you are not going to be a part of the body of Christ in a local church, then you are not ready to make the baptismal promises.

What should I do to be baptised at the ̨��UUֱ��?

This is always some instruction and other preparation required before baptism, even when you are already attending the ̨��UUֱ��.

If you are not attending the ̨��UUֱ�� regularly, and you don’t live in the city, then we encourage you to .

But we welcome your inquiry if you would like to begin attending the ̨��UUֱ��. Another good step would be to attend one of our Christianity courses. All this helps you work out whether you want to commit your life to following Jesus Christ.

Then, as a member of the congregation, you will know the Ministers who pastor the congregation you are part of, and they would be happy to talk about you or your child being baptised.

When can I be baptised at the ̨��UUֱ��?

As you can see the enquiry process with us isn’t like “booking an event”, since there is important preparation and participation being done first.

Baptisms themselves happen in the context of our regular church services (except for the rarest of circumstances, such as meeting medical needs).

At our busy ̨��UUֱ��, we plan our services months in advance, including preaching program, and musical and seasonal features. We also have a large number of special services, which impinge on our regular program of worship and instruction.

So to cater for baptism properly, we designate at least 4 ‘Baptism Sundays’ per year, where we will be ready for baptisms at any of the Sunday services.

A conversation with a minister will help assist working out when the next available and suitable dates are, as well as enabling you to complete the preparation beforehand. We look forward to the possibility of serving you at this significant turning point of life.