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Resources for Adoption Baptism Services
Worship Materials
The Focus of These Materials
Note: Instead of providing an entire worship service, we have provide materials that can be used in liturgies that include the reception and/or baptism of adopted children. Given all the changes in adoption practices in North American culture over the past 20 years, this material includes several elements that may be new to many congregations. We welcome comments (worship@calvin.edu ) about this material, especially in light of particular situations in your congregation and insights from pastoral conversations in your context.
Many families adopt children. Since we have been adopted by God through Christ as God's children, the adoption of children is a way in which we can imitate the love of God for us.
When a biological child is born, the bulletin usually announces the birth with congratulations and thanks. The prayer in worship often gives thanks for the child. Some churches place a rose in front of the sanctuary to acknowledge the new life.
When adoptions occur, the congregation faces some different questions. Should we put special emphasis on the fact that this child is adopted, or should we not highlight that fact? Should the baptism of an adopted child be any different than that of a biological child? Should birthparents be included? Should the siblings of the adopted child have a part in the baptism? And in those congregations where infant baptism is not practiced, how should the adoption of a child be acknowledged? The Christian congregation should always be ready to express its hospitality thoughtfully and warmly to adopted children and give support to the families.
In the interest of helping churches, we are providing resources that will address the issue and give pastors and worship planners ideas, litanies and music to use or adapt. You will find four items here:
* * * * *
A Model Litany for Receiving Adopted Children
A Litany for Dedication
The following litany is intended for publicly marking the adoption of a child within the life of a congregation. This litany may be preceded by the reading of pertinent Scripture passages, and perhaps the preaching material will also include these references. Passages such as Romans 8:23 ("we wait eagerly for our adoption..."), Romans 9:4 "theirs in the adoption…"), Ephesians 1:5 ("he predestined us to be adopted..."), or Mark 10:13-16 (illustrates the compassion Jesus has for children) can be considered.
Reference is made to "relinquishment" and those who have "relinquished" the child. Each situation is different, and your sensitivity to the needs of your situation may lead you to modify some of these statements as necessary.
INTRODUCTION
We are gathered here before God to celebrate life and the act of God in providing a new family for a child. This placement creates new bonds that God designs to use for his work and purposes. At the same time we are mindful of the pain those are feeling who have given/relinquished this child to be adopted. We gather to affirm the commitments of new parents, the beginning of a new chapter in a child's life, and the needs of the birth parents.
It has pleased God, our Heavenly Father, to answer the earnest prayers of _____ and _____ for the gift of a child/children. Today we join them in offering our thanks to God for the arrival of _____ into their family.
Thanks be to God.
AFFIRMATIONS
____ and _____ , you have received _____ into your family. Will you love and care for him/her as your calling before God?
We will.
If the child is old enough to answer, ask him/her:
You have accepted _____ and _____ as your parents. Will you love and respect them?
I will.
If the family includes siblings who are old enough to answer, ask them:
Do you, as brothers and sisters of _____, accept him/her as your sibling, and will you love him/her and participate in their growth and formation?
We will.
All of us, as a congregation, are children of God by grace and adoption. He calls us all to abide in his love. And so will you, as a congregation, receive this child as a member of our fellowship, lovingly care for him/her and faithfully encourage ____ and _____ as they carry out their responsibilities as parents?
We will.
THE PRAYER FOR INTERCESSION
Include these petitions and other concerns as appropriate.
O Lord our God, the author of all life, and the One who calls us into his loving family and receives us each by grace and adoption, we pray today with thankful hearts. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the church throughout the world, that it may receive, nurture, guide and protect all who are joined to it in your grace. May they have a lively sense of your holy presence. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for each person here, that you may bind them together in love, nurture their faith, and provide healthy and rich growth for each. May their lives show forth the love of Jesus Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We lift up the needs of those who have given/relinquished this child for adoption. We know they are known, understood, and cared for by you. Give them grace, healing, and confidence that their actions are wise and comfort them in their sorrow. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for _____ and ____ today, and their new son/daughter, _____, that you may bind them together in love and thankfulness as a family in Jesus Christ. Grant them wisdom and patience as they bring this child up in your ways. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
And we pray for the brothers and sisters of _____, that they may all grow in friendship and love for one another, and that their bonds may become deep and strong. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those who desire the gift of a child yet are disappointed. We ask that you hear their prayers and answer their pleas. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for children around the world whose lives are threatened by abortion and abuse, whose health is endangered by poverty, malnutrition and disease, who have been abandoned, and who wait in the orphanages of our world for someone to come and love them. Lord, in your mercy….
Hear our prayer.
As your children by adoption, we pray as our Savior taught us,
Our Father who art in heaven….
Song of Thanksgiving: "God of Great and God of Small" SFL 29
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A Model Litany for the Baptism of Adopted Children
A Service of Baptism
The following litany is very similar to the previous one, but here the sacrament of baptism is incorporated.
This service of baptism draws on the above Litany for Dedication, the Service for the Baptism of Children of the Christian Reformed Church [Psalter Hymnal, pages 960-962], and resources from The Worship Sourcebook [page 275; use credit line in box at top of this page].
To reprint Service for Baptism for personal use, a ministry setting, or classroom use, include this credit line: © 1987, CRC Publications, Grand Rapids MI. www.crcna.org. Reprinted with permission.
This litany contains two elements that include alternate possibilities.
INTRODUCTION
We are gathered here before God to celebrate life and the act of God in providing a new family for a child. This placement creates new bonds that God designs to use for his work and purposes. At the same time we are mindful of the pain those are feeling who have given/relinquished this child to be adopted. We gather to affirm the commitments of new parents, the beginning of a new chapter in a child's life, and the needs of the birth parents.
It has pleased God, our Heavenly Father, to answer the earnest prayers of _____ and _____ for the gift of a child/children. Today we join them in offering our thanks to God for the arrival of _____ into their family.
Thanks be to God.
AFFIRMATIONS
____ and _____ , you have received _____ into your family. Will you love and care for him/her as your calling before God?
We will.
If the child is old enough to answer, ask him/her:
You have accepted _____ and _____ as your parents. Will you love and respect them?
I will.
If the family includes siblings who are old enough to answer, ask them:
Do you, as brothers and sisters of _____, accept him/her as your sibling, and will you love him/her and participate in their growth and formation?
We will.
THE PROMISES
Baptism, according to God's Word, is a visual symbol of God's promises to his people. In the Old Testament, the sign that symbolized God's promises to Abraham was circumcision. In Genesis 17, God promised His faithfulness to Abraham when He said, "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you."
Through Christ, God extended His everlasting covenant promises beyond Abraham's seed, to all those who repent and believe in Christ as Savior. For New Testament followers of Christ, the sign that symbolizes God's promises of the covenant is no longer circumcision but baptism.
According to Acts 2, Christ's disciples preached the good news of the Gospel and God's promises and said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is for you and your children and for all that are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Today, _____ receives God's Old and New Testament covenantal promises. And by God's grace and through his/her baptism, he/she is received into the Church of Christ and the family of God.
As members of God's family, we promise to _____ that we, along with _____, will tell them the story of salvation. We will remind them who they are as God's children, in order to keep them in God's family. And as they grow, we will continually encourage them to affirm for themselves God's promises of life in Christ.
THE VOWS
The Vows of the Parents
First, do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, accept the promises of God, and affirm the truth of the Christian faith which is proclaimed in the Bible and confessed in this church of Christ?
Second, do you believe that your children, though sinful by nature, are received by God in Christ as members of his covenant, and therefore ought to be baptized?
Third, do you promise in reliance on the Holy Spirit and with the help of the Christian community, to do all in your power to instruct these children in the Christian faith and to lead them by your example to be Christ's disciples?
We do, God helping us.
The Vows of the Congregation
This is _____, child of God, entrusted to _____ as his/her earthly parents and to us as a congregation. Will you receive him/her in love, pray for them, help instruct them in the Christian faith, and encourage and support these parents as they train them in the ways of the Lord?
We will, God helping us.
THE BAPTISM
_____, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE BLESSING
After the water of baptism has been administered, the pastor places his/her hand on the child and says….
_____, for you Jesus Christ came into the world:
for you he lived and showed God's love;
for you he suffered the darkness of Calvary
and cried at last "It is finished";
for you he triumphed over death and rose in newness of life;
for you he ascended to reign at God's right hand.
All this he did for you, _____,
before you knew anything of it.
And so the Word of Scripture is fulfilled;
"We love because God loved us first." (TWS, 6.4.1)
THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
Include these petitions and other concerns as appropriate.
O Lord our God, the author of all life, and the One who calls us into his loving family, receiving us each by grace and adoption, we pray today with thankful hearts. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the church throughout the world, that it may receive, nurture, guide and protect all who are joined to it in your grace. May they have a lively sense of your holy presence. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for each person here, that you may bind them together in love, nurture their faith, and provide healthy and rich growth to each. May their lives show forth the love of Jesus Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We lift up the needs of those who have given this child for adoption. We know they are known, understood, and cared for by you. Give them grace, healing, confidence that their actions are wise, and comfort them in their sorrow. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
And we pray for _____ and ____ today, and their new son/daughter, _____, that you may bind them together in love and thankfulness as a family in Jesus Christ. Grant them wisdom and patience as they bring this child up in your ways. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for this child who has now received the sign of your covenant, that he/she may grow in grace, be kept in your love, and may become a strong, vital and obedient servant of Jesus Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
And we pray for the brothers and sisters of _____, that they may all grow in friendship and love for one another, and that their bonds may become deep and strong. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for married couples who desire the gift of a child yet are disappointed. We ask that you hear their prayers and answer their pleas. Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for children around the world whose lives are threatened by abortion and abuse, whose health is endangered by poverty, malnutrition and disease, who have been abandoned, and who wait in the orphanages of our world for someone to come and love them. Lord, in your mercy….
Hear our prayer.
As your children by adoption, we pray as our Savior taught us,
Our Father who art in heaven….
Song of Thanksgiving: "You Are Our God: We Are Your People" PsH 272
or: "Wash, O God, Our Sons and Daughters" SNC 238
* * * * *
This was a very special event in which both the birthparents and the adoptive parents were present. Such events become more common as open adoptions occur. We have removed the names for the sake of personal privacy. You will want to adapt portions of this service if the birth parents are not present.
WELCOME
We are gathered here today for a very special occasion—the celebration of life and a gift that makes for the creation and union of two families. We gather to affirm the commitments of ___ and ___ (birthparents) and also ___ and ___ (adoptive parents) to the parenting of this child.
We are here to celebrate God's answer to our prayers that ___ was brought into this world strong and healthy.
We are here to celebrate God's provision of a loving home for ___ where ___ and ___ (birth parents) could always be a part of his/her life and witness the decisions he/she makes in life.
We are here to celebrate the answer to the prayers of ___ and ___ (adoptive parents) that they be a part of God's plan as ___'s parents—to provide for him/her, to raise him/her in a loving home, and to nurture and acknowledge the importance of his/her relationship with his/her birthparents.
OPENING PRAYER
Lord, we lift up our hearts to you,
in our joy and in our sorrow.
Lord, bless us with your presence as we celebrate this new life,
mourn what is relinquished,
and with thankful hearts, accept this gift of grace
and love in this child. Amen.
Father, you knew us before we were born.
And You chose us to be Your children.
Father, You faithfully watch over and protect us.
Your plan for our lives gives us hope and a future.
Just as Moses was drawn from the Nile into a new life,
You saved us from destruction through Your Son, Christ Jesus.
Praise and glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Through adoption in Christ, God invites us to enter His Kingdom.
We are adopted children of God.
CANDLE CEREMONY
A miracle lies in the path that God has chosen for us. Today we affirm our love and commitment to ___ —love and commitment made by two families. The two lighted candles symbolize your separate lives, your separate families. I ask both of you to each take one candle and together light the center candle. Lighting the center candle represents your combined love and commitment to this child and his/her future, as well as the joining of an affirmation and commitment of your families and friends. This represents the unity that you share in this child's life.
READINGS
God's love for His children:
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart.
Mark 10:14 & 16
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these"
and He took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
Psalm 139:13-16
For you created my inmost being
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Isaiah 49:16
I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
The Light of Hope
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Psalm 32:20-22
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In God our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Each of you here with us today has been given a candle. We ask that you come forward, light your candle, and place it around the center candle to represent your support for this unity.
Sung Prayer of Confidence: "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" (Psalm 23) PH 172, PsH 550
In the same way that this single candle is strengthened and enriched by its many strands and brightened by its many lights, so too may this child grow strong in the light of all our love. Let us celebrate the brightness of this new life.
May your gracious light shine, O God,
into every crack and crevice of our souls.
May your healing power surround these birth parents and their families
as they mourn the loss of this child through relinquishment,
even as they rejoice in the blessing of adoption.
May your gracious love shine brightly on this child every day of his/her life.
May your wisdom and care shine through this adoptive family and their loved ones
as they welcome this child into their family. Amen.
ENTRUSTMENT CEREMONY
Reading: Jeremiah 29:11-14
May the love of God be with us always!
O God,
like a mother who comforts her children,
you sustain, nurture and strengthen us;
like a father who cares for his children,
you look upon us with compassion and goodness.
We give you thanks for the birth of this child,
and for the joy which has come to this family.
Confirm their joy by a lively sense of your presence with them.
Give them calm strength and patient wisdom
as they seek to bring this child
to love all that is true and noble, just and pure,
lovable and gracious, excellent and admirable,
following the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10:13-16
Prayer: Psalm 8
___ and ___, you welcomed this child into the world. We today celebrate and affirm your role in his/her life. In your loving plan, you have chosen these parents to be his/her parents. You are creating a new family. May God bless you.
___, at this time would you place this child into ___'s arms?
Birthmother places child in parents' arms.
___ and ___, do you receive this child in love, and promise to care for him/her, provide direction and guidance for his life, and lead him by your teaching and example to follow Jesus?
Response: We do.
___ and ___, do you acknowledge your commitment to these birth parents and affirm their relationship with and love for this child?
Response: We do.
As ___ grows, do you promise to remember the example ___ and ___ set, and to always put his interests first?
Response: We do.
As God has made us all His children by grace and adoption, may this child and this family always abide in God's love.
THE BLESSING OF THE CHILD
The minister may touch the child's head, hands and feet in the manner indicated:
May God grant you grace
to grow in wisdom and understanding, (touch head)
to work with Christ for justice in the world, (touch hands)
and to walk with the Spirit in the ways of peace, (touch feet)
and the blessing of the Holy One,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you this day and forever more.
Hymn of Assurance: "How Firm a Foundation" PH 361, PsH 500, RL 172, TH 94, TWC 612, UMH 529 (omit verse 1)
BLESSING OF THE PARENTS
It is no accident that God has brought you together, for together you can accomplish what you could not do apart. Together you give this child the great necessities of life: the roots of security and the wings of opportunity. With love in your hearts, you collectively offer ___ a blend of security and nurture. It was love for children in general which put you on converging paths, and now it is your love for this unique child which unites you on the shared journey ahead. We ask God's blessing on your covenant.
INTERCESSIONS
Join us now as we bow our heads in prayer.
God is the author of all life and calls us into His loving family through Christ.
Therefore with thankful hearts we pray:
Loving Father, hear us!
For the birthparents, that they may be sustained and nurtured by God's love at all times, we pray:
Loving Father, hear us!
For the adoptive parents and their new child, that God may bind them together in love as a family, we pray:
Loving Father, hear us!
For these grandparents, that they experience God's special love through their grandchild, we pray:
Loving Father, hear us!
For all those who have walked with these people, that they remember this child with love and prayer, we pray:
Loving Father, hear us!
As God's adopted children in Christ Jesus, we pray:
[recite the Lord's Prayer]
May almighty God who has called us into the family of Christ
fill us with grace and peace, now and forever.
Amen.
* * * * *
We have previously given suggestions for congregational songs for baptisms. All of those suggestions would certainly apply in the baptism of adopted children as well. This week we also offer suggestions for anthems and songs to be used for baptism.
"A Song of Promise" by Robert J. Powell, published by Choristers Guild CGA-479 [1989] for unison voices with flute, keyboard and optional adult choir; based on Ephesians 4:4-6; E.
"Baptism Song for an Adopted Daughter" by Philip De Haan and John Witte, published in Reformed Worship 74 p. 33 for unison voices and guitar or realized keyboard; E.
"Child of God" by Dorothy Chrisopherson, published by Augsburg Fortress 11-10122 [1991]
"Come to the Water" by John Foley, S. J. published by OCP 9489 [1993] for SATB voices, congregation, piano, guitar and solo instrument; suggested by Isaiah 55:1,2, and Matthew 11:28-30; E-M.
"Concertato on 'We Know That Christ Is Raised' " by Hal H.Hopson, published by H. W. Grey GCMRO3566 [1989] for (SATB voices, congregation, organ, opt. brass and hand bells; E-M.
"How Will They Know" by Natalie Sleeth, published by Sonos S044 [1985] for SATB voices and keyboard; E-M.
"I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry" by John Helgen, published by Kjos 8826 [1996] for SAATB voices, keyboard and recorder or other C instrument; M.
"If You Search with All Your Heart by Craig Courtney, published by Beckenhorst BP1434 [1994] for SATB voices and keyboard; based on Jeremiah 29:11-14; E-M.
"Psalm 139" by Allen Pote, published by Choristers Guild CGA-610 [1992] for SATB voices and piano; E-M.
"Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" by Christoph W. Gluck, published by ProArt 1995 [1960] for SATB voices and piano; E-M.
"Suffer the Little Children" by Matthew Armstrong, published by Logia 98-3302 [1996] for SATB voices and keyboard with C Instrument; based on Mark 10:14-16; E-M.
"Suffer the Little Children" from Suffer the Little Children by Edward V. Bonnemère, published by Augsburg Fortress 11-10180 [1994] for unison choir or medium low solo voice; E-M.
"The Gift of Children" by Lloyd Larson, published by Alfred 18951 [1999] for SATB voices and keyboard with optional C instrument; E-M.
"Train Me Up In the Way I Should Go" by Ruth Elaine Schram, published by CPP/Belwin Mills BSC00247 [1993] for unison voices with keyboard and optional two-parts; E.
"We Name You in Joy" by Dorothy Christopherson, published by Choristers Guild CGA-586 [1992] for two part treble or mixed voices with flute and keyboard; E-M.
"Wet Saints" from Suffer the Little Children by Edward V. Bonnemère, published by Augsburg Fortress 11-10180 [1994] for unison choir or medium low solo voice; E-M.
"Who Will Teach the Children" by Anna Laura Page, published by Alfred 17983 [1998] for SATB voices, accompanied with optional children's choir, congregation and flute; E-M.
Music Notes:
Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations:
PH The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press)
PsH The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
RL Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
RN Renew! (Hope Publishing Company)
SFL Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SNC Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church,
Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
TH Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America;
Great Commission Publications)
TWC The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company)
UMH The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House)
WOV With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)
