Worship
Sacraments in the United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church celebrates two sacraments. We know, some churches celebrate up to seven sacraments. Don't worry! We have all of those other special moments as well. However, the two sacraments in the UMC are Baptism and Holy Communion. These moments are sacred for us because the Bible tells us that Jesus participated in them and commanded us to do the same (read Matthew 18:16-20 and Luke 22:7-38).
Baptism is God's gift of grace in our lives. We baptize people of all ages because we believe God's prevenient grace comes before our awareness and acceptance of God's love in our lives. The UMC recognizes Christian baptism from any denomination and does not rebaptize people. God's love for us never changes!
There are 3 ways to be baptized in the United Methodist Church:
- SPRINKLING: a small amount of water is placed on your head by the pastor
- IMMERSION: a tank is brought into the worship space where you are laid back and lifted up in Baptism (it's cold!)
- POURING: a pitcher is used to pour water over your head as you are baptized
To schedule a baptism for yourself or a member of your family, please . You can include a preference of dates for upcoming Sundays and which service you prefer. If you are baptizing an infant or young child, we will do that through the method of "sprinkling." If you are a youth or adult being baptized, we will discuss which way you would like to be baptized.
Holy Communion is God's forgiveness and continued love for us. This sacrament is like nourishment for the journey. God offers us forgiveness and reminds us that we are loved just as we are. You do not need to be baptized in order to receive Holy Communion.
In each of these sacraments, ordinary things become extraordinary by the work of the Holy Spirit. If you have questions about sacraments at Melissa UMC, please feel free to or you can visit UMC.org for more information on our beliefs.