Elliott is Dedicated to the Lord!

On Sunday, April 6, 2008, Elliott Charles Locke was dedicated to the Lord. For those who are not familiar with the tradition of infant dedication, here is what we do and why.














We stand on the platform before the congregation with the other families with infants to be dedicated.

We take turns bringing our child to Pastor Todd Augustine (the pastor who married us almost 2 years ago!) who introduces the baby to the congregation and gives background on their name, why the name was chosen and what it means. Then he prays for them, and he usually prays something related to the meaning of their name.














Elliott - English form of Elijah; meaning "The LORD (Yahweh) is my God"

Charles - meaning "strong and manly"

Pastor Augustine commented that he certainly is manly, getting a chuckle from the congregation. :)

Then he prayed that he would grow up strong in the Word and that he would know the LORD as his God, coming to faith at an early age.

Pastor Todd then asked us if our intention was to commit our child to the Lord, raising him to encourage his faith and to teach him about the Bible and it's truths, with the intention that one day he would come forward as an "adult" and make a public profession of his faith and be baptized. He asks the congregation if they will help and support us as the church family.

As Evangelical Christians, we believe that it is our faith in and love for Jesus Christ that saves us, not our baptism. In the Bible, when someone came to faith in Jesus, they were baptized, out of obedience and as a public profession of their inward change and connection with Christ. Some traditions baptize their children as infants, then confirm their faith around 8th grade. We dedicate our children, our gifts from God, to God as we raise them in the truths of the Bible so that they will come to a saving faith by the grace of God and choose to follow Him, including baptism, when they are ready.