Admission to Communion before Confirmation / I 1
Admission into the Anglican Communion of baptized communicants from other churches / I 2
Baptism / I 3
Communion by Intinction / I 4
Confirmation / I 5
Funerals / I 6
Liturgies and Versions of Scripture authorized for use in worship (os) / I 7
Marriage (os) / I 8
Ministry to the Dying (os) / I 9
Pastoral Care (os) / I 10
I 1: ADMISSION TO COMMUNION
A.CANONS, RULES AND REGULATIONS
Resolution of Provincial Synod 1979
Blue ‘Services for Parish Use 1993’ – page 26
B.GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMMENT
- Preface to ‘Baptism and Confirmation’ in ‘An Anglican Prayer Book 1989, it is said, “Children are born into a human family and those who are baptized are brought into the family of God, the Church. … In the Holy Eucharist the life given in baptism is fed and sustained with the heavenly food of the body and blood of Christ.” Both sacraments are thus linked together in the saving work of Christ – one as a sacrament of initiation, the other as a sacrament of nurture - and it is appropriate, therefore, that baptized children are admitted to communion.
C.DIRECTIONS
- PROCESS FOR ADMINSSION
- In this Province, as in many parts of the worldwide Anglican Communion, baptized children are admitted to Holy Communion simply by virtue of their baptism. All baptized children in the diocese may, therefore, be admitted to Holy Communion.
- Because it is desirable that children have some understanding of the sacrament, Admission to Communion courses has been developed for use in parishes.
- Children may be admitted to Holy Communion from 6 years of age.
- Such children must be involved in the ongoing worshipping life of the parish and must have the consent of their parents or guardians.
- Where the child, but not the parents, is involved in the worshipping life of the parish, the parish may appoint parish sponsors to dare for and nurture the child in the faith. The parents of the child must approve such an action and the choice of sponsors.
- The child must have received basic instruction in the faith and must have some understanding of the Sacrament.
- The Rite of Admission to Communion (Page 26 of the Blue Book ‘Services for Parish Use 1993’ shall take place within the context of the Eucharist or Confirmation Service. Parents and/or the sponsors much are present at the service.
- The parish must keep a register of all those admitted to Holy Communion. Children admitted to Holy Communion are to receive a certificate to this effect. (The Resource Section of this handbook has an appropriate template for the certificate).
- Admission to Communion is intended to lead on to the sacrament of Confirmation when the person concerned is capable of making a mature, responsible and public affirmation and commitment to the faith.
- ADMISSION TO COMMUNION TRAINING MATERIAL
- A number of parishes have developed very good training material. Contact the SAINTS Lay Training Team (Portfolio Team Leader: Alan Williams – [011] 728. 7015) for further information.
- A very good training programme has been developed by the Anglican Diocese of Manchester and may be downloaded at Manchester.anglican.org. Access site, then click on Education> Children > information and Policy > Admission of Children to Communion > download the Study Pack).
- If you should choose to develop your own training material, the following areas of instruction should be covered:
The Church as family
The nature of worship
The Eucharist as central in Christian life and witness
D.FOR MORE INFORMATION
- Contact your Rector or Archdeacon
- Contact the Bishop’s Office
Revised:June 2010
I2: ADMISSION INTO THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION OF BAPTIZED COMMUNICANTS FROM OTHER CHURCHES
A.CANONS, RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Admission of Baptized Communicants, Rubrics, APB p399
APB Service pp 399 -401
B.GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMMENT
- The baptisms of any church which practice Trinitarian baptism – that is, baptism done in name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – are recognised. Where this is in doubt, or where the family is unable to provide proof of baptism, a conditional baptism shall be done.
- All persons, of whatever denomination, who have been baptized but not confirmed in their own denomination, shall be confirmed in the usual manner after adequate instruction.
C.DIRECTIONS
1. PROCESS FOR ADMISSION
- Anyone who has been baptized and confirmed in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches may be admitted without any further lying on of hands. Section 104 -105 of APB p 400 are omitted in these cases. Such a person shall have first received some teaching on how the Anglican Church developed, how it structured and governed, and some of its characteristics.
- Members of all other churches must receive instruction and have an Episcopal confirmation.
- The service for ‘The Admission of Baptised Communicants’ (An Anglican Prayer Book 1989: Page 399) is normally done in the context of a confirmation service, or on some other suitable occasion at the discretion of the bishop.
- Where the service for ‘The Admission of Baptised Communicants’ (An Anglican Prayer Book 1989: Page 399) is done in the context of a confirmation service, it follows after the confirmation of the other candidates present, and before the final prayers and blessings.
- Anyone who is to be admitted into the Anglican Church of Southern Africa may be admitted to Communion prior to being received into ACSA, on the basis of their baptism, if the parish priest believes this to be appropriate.
- A register must be kept of all persons admitted from other denominations. This register may be either a separate register or included in the confirmation register.
2. ADMISSION OF BAPTIZED COMMUNICANTS FROM OTHER CHURCHERS TRAINING MATERIAL
- A very good resource is The Anglican Way: Southern African Perspectives by John Suggit published by The Publishing Committee, Church of the Province of Southern Africa. Contact Cynthia Botha at the Publishing Office (011 -836 5825 or 011 836 5782 fax).
D.FOR MORE INFORMATION
1. Contact your Rector or Archdeacon
- Contact the Bishop’s Office
Revised:January 2008
I 3: BAPTISM
A.CANONS, RULES AND REGULATIONS
Canon 32 1(b)
Canon 35 1 - 5
An Anglican Prayer Book 1989, General Rubrics pp 364-5
Baptism and Confirmation pp 367-377
Baptism 378-387
Emergency Baptism and reception into the congregation pp 396-398
B.GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMMENT
- Baptism is entry into the Christian faith. It is the primary sacrament of the church, and as such must be taken very seriously.
- Through baptism we accept the gift of salvation made available to us by God through the cross and resurrection of Jesus. The Service of Baptism and Confirmation in its Introduction says “Baptism is the sacrament in which, by repentance and faith, we enter into this salvation: we are united with Christ in his death; we are granted the forgiveness of sins; we are made members of his Body and we are raised with him to new life in the Spirit”.
- As Anglicans we believe in the baptism of both children and adults. In the Preface to ‘Baptism and Confirmation’ in ‘An Anglican Prayer Book 1989’, it is said, “Just as ordinary life involves birth and growth, so our birth and growth as Christians is an ongoing development towards maturity.” Baptism marks the beginning of this journey.
- We believe that the administration of baptism takes place only once, either as infants or as adults. We also recognize that “whilst the response of faith has to be made by each individual, human life is always lived out in community” and so it is that we are comfortable baptizing children who belong to our faith community. Just as “children are born into a human family” so too those who are baptized whether children or adults “are brought into the family of God, the Church”.
C.DIRECTIONS
1.PROPCESS FOR ADULT BAPTISM
- No baptism may take place without sufficient preparation, other than in the case of emergency. Baptism, as a sacrament, is done by a priest. Where a priest cannot be present a deacon may conduct a baptism. In an emergency where no ordained person is available a lay person may administer baptism. (See the Rubric on Page 396 of An Anglican Prayer Book 1989). Where an emergency baptism has been done, the details shall be entered into the parish registers and, health permitting, the baptized person shall be subsequently welcomed into the congregation using the ‘Reception into the Congregation’ order of service. (An Anglican Prayer Book 1989: Page 397).
- When adults are baptized they shall be presented to the bishop for confirmation at the same time, or as soon as possible thereafter.
- No adult may be baptised without having first indicated their intention of proceeding to confirmation.
- When adults are baptized they shall be presented to the bishop for confirmation at the same time, or as soon as possible thereafter.
- In the case of adults the incumbent shall notify the bishop of their names before the baptism takes place. ???
- Use may be made of the Admission of Catechumens service (APB p417-419) to welcome new adult members who are not Christians and who are preparing for baptism and Confirmation.
- Children over the age of 7 should answer the questions for themselves, supported by their sponsors and godparents.
2.PROCESS FOR INFANT BAPTISM
- No baptism may take place without sufficient preparation, other than in the case of emergency. (See the comments on emergency baptism in the section immediately above).
- Those wishing to be baptised, or bringing children to be baptised, should be worshipping members of the congregation. Infants should not be baptised unless there is areasonable prospect that they will be brought up within the faith of the Church.
- In cases where children are brought for baptism from outside the parish, the priest of the child’s home parish must give written consent. (?)
- In the case of children it is the priests duty to ensure that “parents or those responsible for the upbringing of the child receive such instruction in the Christian faith as will enable them to renew their commitment to Christ and to promote the nurture and growth in the fellowship of the Church of the child or children in their care.”
- In the case of children who are too young to make the baptismal promises for themselves, parents or godparents must be baptized Christians.
- If parents or guardians want some form of service but are not ready to take on the responsibilities required in baptism, the clergy can use the form of Thanksgiving for the a Birth of a Child (APB p 405).
- Where a child, but not the parents, is involved in the worshipping life of the parish and wants to be baptized, the child must have the consent of his/her parents or guardians. In this case the Parish Council, representing the Body of Christ must accept responsibility for the child and appoint a sponsor/s, who are acceptable to the parents, and who have responsibility for the care and nurture of the child in the faith.
- The Service of Baptism should normally take place during the main service of the week.
- Traditionally the church appointed two Godfathers and one Godmother for each male child being baptized and two Godmothers and one Godfather for each female child. Today parents generally select the godparents and may serve as sponsors for their own children. However, all Godparents must be baptized and should, ideally, be worshipping communicant members of a church.
- The parish must keep a register of all baptism that take place, including emergency baptisms. A baptism certificate must be given to the candidate or his/her parents or guardians.
2.BAPTISM TRAINING MATERIAL
- A very good resource is ‘A Baptism Preparation Course’ published by the Provincial Publishing Committee, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Contact Cynthia Botha at the Publishing Office (011 -836 5825 or 011 836 5782 fax).
D.FOR MORE INFORMATION
- Contact your Rector or Archdeacon
- Contact the Bishop’s Office
Revised:June 2010
I 4: COMMUNION BY INTINCTION
A.CANONS, RULES AND REGULATIONS
None
B.GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMMENT
- Some members of the church are concerned that the traditional way of receiving the chalice in communion could lead to the spread of AIDS, TB and other infectious diseases.
- The Synod of Bishops has discussed this concern and has sought medical opinion on the matter. The advice we have received is that the likelihood of contracting an infectious disease through the chalice is so minimal as to constitute no real danger.
- However, in order to accommodate those who remained concerned, the bishops have suggested that communicants be allowed to receive communion by intinction.
C.DIRECTIONS
- Communion by intinction may be given in one of two ways:
The communicant receives the wafer, but does not consume it immediately. Instead, when the chalice reaches them, they dip the wafer carefully into the wine, without wetting their fingers, and then consume the wafer.
The communicant receives the wafer, but does not consume it immediately. Instead, when the chalice reaches them, the chalice-bearer takes the wafer and carefully dips it into the wine, without wetting the fingers, and then places the wafer on the communicant’s tongue.
The priest is accompanied by a chalice-bearer and dips the wafer into the wine before placing it on the communicant’s tongue.
- Note: Because the risk of infection increases with the number of fingers that are dipped into the wine, it is desirable that as few fingers as possible have access to the wine. For this reason the first option listed above is less desirable than the other two.
D.FOR MORE INFORMATION
- Contact your Rector or Archdeacon
- Contact the Bishop’s Office
Revised:June 2010
I 5: CONFIRMATION
A.CANONS, RULES AND REGULATIONS
Canon 35.7
An Anglican Prayer Book General Rubrics p364-366
B.GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMMENT
- Confirmation is a sacrament in which adults are able to publicly affirm the faith into which they were baptised. As such it is a mature, adult act of public commitment to Christ, and to active participation in the life and witness of the wider church.
- For this reason it “takes place in the presence of the Bishop who represents the whole church, and is the sign of apostolic authority and the focal point of unity in the diocese.” Through the laying on of hands the person is confirmed in the power of the Holy Spirit and commissioned to go out and proclaim their faith in word and deed and holiness of life.
C. DIRECTIONS
1. PROCESS FOR CONFIRMATION
- Candidates for Confirmation must be at least 16 years of age, and involved in the worshipping life of the parish on a regular basis. Children under the age of 16 should be admitted to Holy Communion and discouraged from being confirmed before they are able to make an adult commitment.
- Candidates must be baptized before being confirmed.
- Candidates for confirmation who have not been baptized should be baptized as close to the confirmation date as possible if they are not being baptized within the confirmation service itself.
- Where there is reasonable doubt that a candidate has been validly baptised, they must be conditionally baptised. Where no baptism certificate exists, and no written proof can be furnished by parents, godparents, a member of the family or the congregation, or a priest that the candidate was baptized, the candidate must be conditionally baptized.
- Those who prepare candidates who are full boarders in church schools must communicate in writing with the priest of the candidate’s home parish before admitting the candidate to a Confirmation class.
- Candidates who are weekly boarders (i.e. those who go home at weekends) may also be prepared at school provided the parish priest has agreed to this. They should then worship in their local parish church on Sundays.
- Only in very special circumstances, after initial consultation with the local Archdeacon, may a day scholar be presented for Confirmation at a school.
2. CONFIRMATION TRAINING MATERIAL
- We are committed in terms of our Diocesan vision to “the spiritual growth of all believers, which leads to a deepening relationship with God, others, oneself and creation. Central to this formation is the development of Gospel values in our lives.” Confirmation preparation is thus a part of an ongoing process of spiritual formation and should, therefore, take place over an extended period of time. Instruction should cover at least the following areas:
Commitment and faith, personal prayer, spirituality, bible study
Anglican worship and liturgical practices and the importance of regular worship
Biblical stewardship, and the importance of financially supporting the work of the church
Ethical decision making in terms of:
a) a respect and concern for others and the importance of community service;
b) living holy lives, including teaching on honesty and integrity, violence and peacemaking, human sexuality, relationships, sex, contraception, HIV and Aids, same sex relationships, marriage and divorce, abortion;
c) the environment;
d) economics, including attitudes to money, work, leisure and responding to poverty;
e) working for justice and reconciliation
Mission and being able to speak about Jesus openly as the Lord whom we know.
- A very good resource is ‘A Confirmation Course’ published by the Provincial Publishing Committee, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Contact Cynthia Botha at the Publishing Office (011 -836 5825 or 011 836 5782 fax).
- A number of parishes have developed very good training material. Contact the SAINTS Lay Training Team (Portfolio Team Leader: Alan Williams – [011] 728. 7015) for further information
3. OUTLINE FOR A CONFIRMATION SERVICE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- The form of service shall be as follows:
Introit Hymn
Introduction and Collect (APB p389) led by the Bishop
1st Lesson
Hymn
2nd Lesson
Sermon preached by the Bishop
Short Hymn / Chorus
Confirmation (APB 390-393) by the Bishop
Hymn – Collection for the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund
Final Prayers and Blessing (APB 394) led by the Bishop
Closing Hymn
- Music should concentrate on the role of the Holy Spirit and on Christian service
- Where the Veni Creator is not used a hymn addressed to the Holy Spirit is sung
- Careful planning is important, so that all know what is expected of them.
- All clergy involved should have a say in planning the service.
- For the ablutions lemon, bread, a bowl of water and small towel are needed.
- The liturgical colour for Confirmation is white?/Red?
- This is a formal occasion and candidates should dress appropriately. Expensive clothing is not encouraged, but candidates must be neat and tidy in appearance. The wearing of veils is not compulsory, but where worn they should not cover the forehead.
D.FOR MORE INFORMATION