Life is filled with important moments, all of which call upon the Church to gather around us and support us in the promises of our life in Christ. As a church, we faithfully promise to walk the way with each other from the day we are born to the day we are transformed by death.
Baptisms
Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church. It is a public statement of one’s intentional decision to follow the way of Jesus. In the case of infant baptism, it is the parents’ declaration of their intent to raise a child in the way of Jesus.
When you choose to be baptized or to have your child baptized at St. Anne’s, you are choosing to live out the Baptismal Covenant in the context of our church community, taking your part in the worship, mission, and ministries of the Church. Baptism is open to all people who desire to follow Jesus as their Lord, regardless of age or background. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble, so baptism is only administered once.
First Steps
If you feel called to be baptized at St. Anne’s, or to have your child baptized, the first steps are to attend worship regularly and to talk to one of the clergy about baptism. At St. Anne’s, we require adult candidates for baptism to undertake some intentional preparation, typically in the form of the Rector’s semiannual Episcopal 101 class. Parents and godparents of infant candidates are asked to meet privately with the Rector for preparation and discussion on raising their child in the life of the Church.
Baptism should be regarded as the beginning of a spiritual path, not the culmination of one. It is not necessary that a candidate for baptism fully understand every Christian creed or doctrine, but rather be ready to embark on the lifelong path of discovery into the way, truth, and life of Jesus Christ.
Who Can Be Baptized at St. Anne’s?
Baptism is not “into” a congregation or a denomination; it is “into” Christ and Christ’s universal Church. One’s local congregation, however, has a huge role to play in the life of a newly baptized person. For that reason, baptism at St. Anne’s is most appropriate for—though not exclusive to—those who intend to continue their spiritual journey at St. Anne’s. We do, on occasion, baptize out-of-town grandchildren of current St. Anne’s members, but our preference is for these children to experience baptism within the context of their own home churches, where their local congregations can commit to supporting them in their life in Christ.
Parents who wish to have their children baptized but who are not actively engaged in regular worship should first reexamine their own commitments before requesting baptism for their children.
Sponsors & Godparents
All candidates for baptism should have a sponsor who is a baptized Christian, preferably a current member of St. Anne’s. Sponsors of adults and older children present their candidates and thereby signify their intention to support them by prayer and example in their Christian life.
Sponsors of infants, commonly called godparents, present their candidates, make promises in their own names, and also take vows on behalf of their candidates. Parents should be deliberate in how they choose godparents for their children. Please choose godparents who will take a keen, lifelong interest in the spiritual welfare of your child and who will actively nurture him or her in the faith.
Pouring v. Immersion
Episcopalians hold that baptism is fully valid whether one is immersed in the water or has it poured upon them.
Baptisms at St. Anne’s are generally administered by pouring water upon the candidate, except at the Great Vigil of Easter where they are administered by full immersion.
In the Episcopal Church, there is no such thing a “christening.” Baptism is baptism, whether young or old, sprinkled or dunked.
When Are Baptisms Offered?
Holy Baptism is rooted in the life of the Christian community and is administered during Sunday worship with the congregation gathered. For that reason, we generally do not offer private baptisms except in cases of extreme emergency. Baptisms at St. Anne’s are typically reserved for the holy days of Easter, Pentecost, All Saints’, the Baptism of Our Lord, and the Bishop’s Visitation. Other days may be available at the discretion of the Rector. We generally do not administer baptisms during the penitential season of Lent.
What If I’m Already Baptized?
If you are new to the Episcopal Church and have already been baptized in another Christian denomination, we recognize your baptism. You may wish to renew your faith life, in which case you may be Received or Confirmed. Visit our Become a Member page to learn more about these rites.
Portions adapted with gratitude from http://www.dioceseny.org/pages/74-baptism.
Weddings
Christian marriage is about love: not the kind of love we see in movies, but the kind we see in God. The love required in a marriage—much like the love of God—is selfless, unearned, and undeserved, which means it is not always easy. It is less about happiness as our culture defines it, and more about the blessing and joy found in mutual support, encouragement, self discovery, and grace. It takes seriously the lifelong need we all have for forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation, and it finds strength in being rooted in the larger Christian community.
For these reasons and more, we understand Christian marriage to be a sacrament and weddings to be acts of worship. To that end, all weddings at St. Anne’s are conducted in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer, the canons of the Episcopal Church, and the policies governing worship at St. Anne’s.
Who May Be Married at St. Anne’s?
Christian marriage assumes the couple intends to live their married life within the context of the worshipping community. For that reason, the bride or groom—or a parent of the bride or groom—must be an active, baptized member of St. Anne’s.
If you are not a member of St. Anne’s but have a strong desire to be married here, come worship with us several Sundays to get a sense of who we are and what we believe, then speak with the Rector. For those who have no intention of regular involvement in this or any church, a civil marriage performed elsewhere by an agent of the state is more appropriate.
First Step: Call the Church Office
Before you do anything else, your first step after engagement is to call the church office at (229) 382-7505. During this call, the Parish Administrator will set up your initial appointment with the officiating priest and pencil in your preferred wedding date on the parish calendar. Please do not assume the date you want is available until you have confirmed it with the church office.
Premarital Counseling
Because the Episcopal Church believes in the importance of deliberate preparation for marriage, it requires premarital counseling for all couples regardless of age or circumstance.
Remarriage after Divorce
In the Episcopal Church it is necessary for the officiating priest to apply for and receive the Bishop’s consent prior to officiating at a marriage in which either party has been divorced. These steps, along with the additional premarital counseling required, usually add significant time to the process of preparation. The couple should plan accordingly. To learn more, visit the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia’s Remarriage after Divorce page.
Scheduling
Weddings may occur any time of year at St. Anne’s except during the penitential season of Lent. Due to practical reasons for the clergy and parish volunteers, Sunday weddings are discouraged.
Facilities
Three facilities are available for weddings at St. Anne’s:
Main Sanctuary: Seats up to 250. Most weddings at St. Anne’s take place in the main sanctuary.
Historic Chapel: Seats up to 40. Ideal for small, intimate weddings.
Parish Hall: Available for receptions.
Due to the unpredictable extremes of south Georgia weather and the plague-like persistence of the local gnat population, outdoor weddings are not offered at St. Anne’s.
Funerals
The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy and finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. Our funerals at St. Anne’s, therefore, are characterized by joy, in the certainty that ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Who May Have Their Funeral at St. Anne’s?
While our funeral liturgy is offered primarily for members of St. Anne’s, one need not be a member of our church to receive the benefits of Christian burial. We are not a funeral chapel, per se, but anyone in search of dignified Christian burial for a loved one is welcome to call upon our clergy and inquire about the possibilities. All funerals at St. Anne’s are conducted by our own clergy in accordance with the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.
At the Time of Death
Your first step is to call one of our priests, regardless of the hour. When death is imminent, we Episcopalians gather around our loved ones, say our prayers, share in the Sacraments, make our goodbyes, and anoint our loved ones as they transition. This is one of the holiest and most important things the Church is able to offer you, and it is appropriate regardless of whether your loved one is conscious or not. We also have a helpful rite for when the decision is made to remove life-sustaining treatment. Please do not hesitate to call in these moments, even in the middle of the night.
Planning
Funerals are public worship services and should be planned in close consultation with a parish priest. Please consult with the priest prior to establishing a day and time with the funeral home, and prior to the publication of obituaries. St. Anne’s clergy maintain strong working relationships with the funeral homes in Tifton and are happy to assist you in choosing one if needed.
Because funerals are worship, not all customs or funerary wishes are appropriate within the context of our liturgy. For more details on what to expect and how to plan, please consult our Funeral Customary.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your family is to plan ahead. Feel free to use St. Anne’s Funeral Customary to make your choices known in advance. These are not legally binding but may be helpful to your survivors. A printed copy should be kept on file where your survivors can easily access it. A copy may also be kept at the church office.
Location
The Episcopal funeral liturgy is properly held in the church. The church is where we are baptized, where we are confirmed, where we are instructed in the faith, where we meet and enjoy our friends, where we exchange wedding vows, and where we take our joys and sorrows before the Lord week by week. What could be a more fitting place to bid farewell to our loved ones and to commend them to God?
In any case, considerable hardship is involved in carrying out the worship of the Church in a funeral home, as our services assume the presence of an altar with its sacred vessels, linens, vestments, Prayer Books and other appurtenances of worship widely unavailable in a funeral chapel. Any service offered off the church grounds will necessarily be abbreviated and, therefore, less than the full celebration our liturgy offers.
Sermons & Eulogies
At St. Anne’s, it is our practice to reserve the preaching/speaking role at funerals to the clergy. Not only does this alleviate the bereaved of the burden of delivering a speech in the midst of grief; it also allows the memory of the deceased to be set appropriately within the a message of Christian hope, the love of God, and the triumph of Jesus Christ. Eulogies by friends and family are not offered during the liturgy but may be shared in other settings such as a visitation or reception.
Memorial Garden
St. Anne’s maintains a lovely Memorial Garden on its grounds where ashes may be interred after cremation. The Memorial Garden is primarily for members of St. Anne’s but may be utilized by others at the discretion of the Rector. Ashes must be placed in a biodegradable container before interment. Memorial markers such as plaques, artificial flowers, statuettes, etc. diminish the integrity and beauty of the garden and are not permitted.
Fees
Neither St. Anne’s nor its clergy charge for funeral services. Any gift or honorarium you offer is greatly appreciated but wholly unnecessary. The following costs are not covered by St. Anne’s. Your chosen funeral home may assist you in the collection and disbursement of these fees:
Organist’s fee
Music Minister’s fee
Altar flowers
Inscription on the Memorial Garden tablet
Memorial Gifts
Many families choose to designate various charities and organizations for memorial gifts in lieu of flowers. Please consider designating St. Anne’s, which operates its ministries solely on the generosity of its members.