This is the full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body, the church. God establishes an indissoluble bond with each person in baptism.
God adopts us, making us members of the church and inheritors of the Kingdom of God (BCP, pg. 298, 858)
Each candidate for baptism in the Episcopal Church is to be sponsored by one or more baptized persons, or godparents. These sponsors speak on behalf of candidates who are infants or younger children who cannot speak for themselves at the Presentation and Examination of the Candidates.
Infants are “baptized so that they can share citizenship in the Covenant, membership in Christ, and redemption by God. The baptismal promises are made for infants by their parents or sponsors, who guarantee that the infants will be brought up within the Church, to know Christ and be able to follow him. (BCP, pg. 858-859).
Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saint’s Day or the Sunday following, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the First Sunday after the Epiphany).
Note: Baptisms will not be performed on Christmas Eve.