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What is Child Dedication?

Steps for
Child Dedication

Attend Step 1 & Step 2

Step 1 and Step 2 are a great way for you and your family to learn all about Hope Markham.

Attend Regularly

Dedicating parent(s) have been attending Hope Markham regularly for at least six months.

Child Dedication Application

Dedicating parent(s) having successfully filled out and handed in the Child Dedication Application Form.

Schedule Dedication Service

Dedicating parent(s) attend the scheduled Child Dedication service.

What Child Dedication is not…

  1. This isn’t the day of salvation for your child and dedicating a child does not impart salvation to the child. Salvation is the free gift of God, received when someone grasps his or her need for Christ and makes the conscious decision to enter into a relationship with God and by faith trusts in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord and turns from their sin.
  2. It isn’t baptism for your child. Baptism is for believers—those who have already by faith trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins—to publicly identify themselves with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the symbolic act of being immersed in water. Once a child is old enough to make a decision to accept Christ as his or her personal Saviour, then he or she can make a choice to be baptized.

When does the dedication service happen?

We conduct child dedication as part of the regular weekend services.

What is Child Dedication?
  1. As a Christian parent, by dedicating your child to the Lord, you are acknowledging your need for God in your family. You are inviting God to be active in your family life, submitting your own desires for your child to God’s desires, and making a commitment to raise your child in God’s way. Parents are acknowledging that we believe that God must be a part of our family life if it is to be good and healthy. (Psalm 127:1)
  2. Parents are acknowledging that their child is a gift from God and they are earthly stewards of the life God has placed in their home. (Psalm 127:3-5)
  3. Parents are publicly declaring their intention to raise their child in such a way that they are given an opportunity to know God and to establish a personal relationship with Christ. Parents’ actions in raising their children are important to God. We have a responsibility as followers of Christ to raise our children in a way that will please the Lord.  The responsibilities the Lord has entrusted to parents include continuously praying for their children, instructing them in the way of the Lord, setting a godly example, and disciplining them as the Lord would discipline us. As parents, you are only able to do these things through Christ’s strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 6:4)
  4. Parents are affirming their total dependence upon the Lord. (John 15:5)
  5. Parents are asking family, friends and the church community to prayerfully support and hold them accountable to these commitments. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
  6. Parents are following the scriptural example of dedicating children to the Lord given in 1 Samuel 1:11, 26-28, where Hannah vowed to dedicate her child to the Lord if He would grant her one. The Lord honored her request and she kept her vow, dedicating Samuel to the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:11 )