Baby Dedication

The church we attend supposedly practices infant dedication. For those of you not familiar with the practice, an infant dedication is a ceremony where the parents of a baby or young child stand before the church body to commit to teach their child about Christ and agree to raise him or her in the ways of the Lord. The members of the church body agree to support the parents and help instruct the child. I think it is a powerful ceremony because it calls to the parents and the church body to accountability and gives a sense of family within the body of Christ.

A couple of months, ago Jason and I were having dinner with the pastor’s family. We commented on the fact that in the four years that we’ve attended our church, we didn’t recall ever seeing a ceremony. When we asked about the lack of infant dedication services, the pastor responded that they were waiting until all of the expected babies in the church were born. The comment made us laugh because our church is large enough that if we wait for all the babies to be born, we’ll never have a baby dedication service.

Low and behold a week or two after our conversation with the pastor, an announcement appeared in the church bulletin. The church was having a baby dedication on March 9th, and any family that wanted to participant in the service should sign up in the church office. Of course Jason and I signed up right way, especially because we felt like we helped instigate the service.

March 9th is tomorrow. I can’t even think about the baby dedication service without crying. (As you can probably imagine, I am sobbing as I type this blog.) I know I have to participate, but I don’t know where I am going to find the courage and strength to stand in front of the church body and not breakdown. Baby dedications are supposed to be a happy ceremony, and I think at least six other families are participating. I don’t want to ruin the joy of the ceremony for the other families involved.

I don’t want to stand before the congregation alone to dedicate Abigail. Several people have offered to stand with me, but I don’t feel right about that either. Abigail is my daughter, and I have to take the parental responsibility for her spiritual upbringing. It is my duty and privilege.

Right now, I am feeling weight of being a single mom. Please keep me in your prayers this Sunday morning.