Baptism Class for Kids/Youth: Sunday, 5/6!

If your child is in the 3rd grade or older and interested in getting baptized, they are invited to Baptism Class on Sunday, May 6 during the 2nd Service in the Gym, Basement. The Baptism Ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 3 (time TBD).

We encourage you to talk to your kids about baptism and what they think about it, how they feel about it. Below we listed some information and questions that might be helpful to start the conversation.

Please email caroline@rivernyc.org if you have any questions and/or to let us know that your child will be attending the Baptism Class.

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​TIPS FOR TALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT BAPTISM

The Great Banquet
At RiverKids/Youth we often explain baptism with a parable where Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a Great Banquet (see below for the text). It is beautiful and full of life. All are welcomed and there is room for everyone as long as they choose to come. Baptism is really about wanting to live in the reality of God's Kingdom: choosing to come to God's table and eat with Him forever. Thus we become part of His family.  

What BAPTISM does and does not mean:

• We are NOT promising God that we will never do anything bad ever again.  
• We ARE promising that we will ask God for help when we make mistakes or things get broken in us or in our lives.  
• You and God ARE promising to be best friends. 
• You are NOT breaking up your friendship with anybody.
• We ARE choosing to trust God to give us life in all its fullness.  

Questions to help you start the conversation: 

• How do you feel about God inviting you to His Great Banquet? Would you like to go? Why (or why not)? 
• God has invited you to eat with Him forever and become a part of His family (this does not mean that you are leaving this family). Is that something you might want to do? Why (why not)?  
• Baptism is one way to say yes to God's invitation to be part of his family. Is that something you might want to do (now or in the future)?
• What do you think it would mean for you to accept God's invitation? What kind of promise would you be making to God?

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The Parable of the Great Banquet
​(LUKE 14:15-23)

Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”

Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.'"