What is Child Dedication at Mercy Hill?
Child dedications are happy occasions for a church! In it we give thanks together for the blessing of children (Ps 127:3) these parents have received and to pray for God's blessing upon their young lives. It is not a ceremony prescribed in Scripture (like communion or baptism), but is rather an opportunity to consider the sober duties Scripture gives to parents and to ask for God's grace in fulfilling them. Child dedications don't bring children to salvation, nor are they a kind of baptism. Rather, the heart of the child dedication is summed up in the word "commitment". A child dedication is a commitment made both by parents and by the local church. The parents commit to raise their children "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph 6:4). While this commitment is made to God, it is made publicly before the church. In so doing, the parents are asking the church for prayer, support, accountability, and help in fulfilling their responsibility. The church, in turn, commits to doing just that: supporting the parents in their role of raising their children. Child dedications are open to children of any age who have not already been dedicated and whose parents are members of Mercy Hill.
Child Dedication will be on June 15th this year!
