Highlights of the Baptismal rite from the Book of Common Prayer

One week when we were sharing the story of Jesus' baptism, I pulled a few snippets of interest to children from the baptismal rite from the Book of Common Prayer.  These are great highlights to share and discuss within your family. 

The entire rite can be found in the Book of Common Prayer, beginning on p.299. 
There is also some discussion about baptism in the catechism, on p. 858.

(From the Baptismal Covenant.  How might you alter the language to be accessible and meaningful to YOUR child?)

Celebrant   Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and
                 fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and
                 in the prayers?
People      I will, with God's help.

Celebrant   Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever
                 you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord.
People      I will, with God's help.

Celebrant   Will you proclaim by word and example the Good
                 News of God in Christ?
People      I will, with God's help.

Celebrant   Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving
                 your neighbor as yourself?
People      I will, with God's help.

Celebrant   Will you strive for justice and peace among all
                 people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People      I will, with God's help.

(from the Thanksgiving over the Water.  Connect this to the children's recollection of the stories, like Exodus and the baptism of Jesus, that we tell in Worship Center and Upper Room, "God leading the people through the waters to freedom...")

We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water. Over it the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation. Through it you led the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt into the land of promise. In it your Son Jesus received the baptism of John and was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ, to lead us, through his death and resurrection, from the bondage of sin into everlasting life.

We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism. In it we are buried with Christ in his death. By it we share in his resurrection. Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in joyful obedience to your Son, we bring into his fellowship those who come to him in faith, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

(use this section to remind your child how Christ loves them and will keep him or her as his own for ever!  Tell him/her that these very words were spoken over him/her at his/her own baptism!)

N, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever. Amen.

Highlights of the Baptismal rite from the Book of Common Prayer

(p.2)

(use these sections to remind your child that we are given a responsibility at our baptism, and that we remind those whose baptisms we witness of this responsibility.  We're all in this together as members of Christ's body!)

After all have been presented, the Celebrant addresses the
congregation, saying

Will you who witness these vows do all in your
power to support these persons in their life in Christ?

People      We will.

The Celebrant then says these or similar words

Let us join with those who are committing themselves to Christ
and renew our own baptismal covenant.

(after the Baptism, and the newly baptized has been welcomed…)

We receive you into the household of God. Confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood.