Rites of Passage
There are days in the Christian year that are set apart as special. Some are on the calendar, such as celebrations of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, as well as St. Francis, All Saints', and Holy Week. Others are more personal, such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals. All are part of our common life as Christians.
To talk with Father Dirk about scheduling a service for events in your family life, call the office at 732-431-8383 or email rector@stpetersfreehold.org.
Baptisms
Baptism is a sacrament of faith that brings a person into the church community and unites him or her with Jesus Christ and Christians throughout the world. Sacraments are given to us by Christ as signs of his presence in the world and in our lives, as we receive God's grace.
At St. Peter's, we baptize infants, children, and adults. One does not need to be a member of the parish to be baptized. In baptism, we are accepted and marked as God's own children in the family of Jesus Christ, the Church. Baptism is the beginning of a life-long journey of faith. We welcome you to live out your baptismal vows and to participate in our worship and community life here at St. Peter's.
Confirmation
Our catechism describes Confirmation as "the rite in which we express mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying gone of hands of by a bishop." (1979 Book of Common Prayer, p. 860) This is a time when a Christian is prepared to say "I am now ready to take responsibility myself for the promises my parents and godparents made for me in my baptism."
Our confirmation program includes classroom lessons, family discussions, mentoring, and service requirements. We believe that faith is about more than classroom knowledge, but also relationships and experience, so our program values each of these elements. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, we also encourage a Shepherds program, recruiting a group of adults to walk with the class as a whole during this journey, in prayer and in presence.
Weddings
Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between two people in the presence of God. In the Episcopal Church it is required that at least one of the people must be a baptized Christian, that the ceremony be attested by at least two witnesses, and that the marriage conform to the laws of the State and the canons of this Church. Saint Peter's is happy to celebrate and solemnize the marriages of same-gender couples, using rites authorized by General Convention 2015, as approved by our Bishop and in accordance with New Jersey law.
Since weddings are so personal, we recommend speaking to Father Dirk or a member of clergy at the beginning of the planning stage.
Funerals
In the event of a death, contact Father Dirk or a member of clergy as soon as possible, or call the church office at 732-431-8383. The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy whose meaning is found in the Christian hope that even at the grave we proclaim that our life is changed, not ended. It is also a time when we genuinely mourn — Jesus wept when his friend Lazarus seemed to be lost to death, and we will mourn too.
Funeral and memorial plans may also be made in advance and kept on file as part of End of Life planning.
