Last Sunday, we as a church family had the honor of witnesses one of the most joyous occasion that we share as a body. The cute babies of Hoboken Grace got up on stage in front of everyone (with the help of their parents of course) to be dedicated to our church in a tradition known as a “Baby Dedication.” For those unfamiliar with the concept, a Baby Dedication is a church ceremony in which parents present their young children before the congregation and devote themselves to raise that child in a God loving home.

Pastor Chris has often spoken about investing in the next generation of our community. This is a big reason for why the Home Initiative is so important. We want to not only love and serve those around us in the here and now, but look to the future at how we can best serve and love those who are just starting their faith journey and what that will look like many years from now. A Baby Dedication is a perfect example of a starting point in making that commitment to the future of what our church can become because of who will be here after us.

As church members, we aren’t just bystanders to this act that the parents are presenting to us and God. We also have an important job in all of this. Which is to commit to lifting these babies up in the church environment whenever possible as they are growing up and navigating their own church journey even years from now. This is the very first step in faith journey of these young ones, and for the foreseeable future, they will be with us for the long haul. Whether it’s them taking their first steps, being a curious learner in Grace Kids, or serving on a team decades from now, the example we set for these babies will have ripple effects throughout their lives as they form their own bond with the Father who loves and created them. It is the parent’s job to raise their kids to the best of their abilities, but when it comes to faith, it can be a rocky, unpredictable road that will require all the help they can get from their church family.

Baby Dedication Sunday is such a special day for everyone who attends. For the parents who are making the public commitment to raise their newborns in the church, to the church body who get to witness the birth of new members, and especially to God, for having his creations in the hands of family and friends who have made the commitment to love and nurture these lives on the path that best serves Him.