What is required of me?

The first requirement is that you have a belief in Jesus Christ yourself.  Surely it is true that unless you believe what a Christian believes about God and our relationship with God, it does not make much sense to present your child for Baptism.

Second, you should be willing to fulfill your responsibility as Christian parents. In the celebration of the sacrament at St. Paul’s, this responsibility is defined in two questions:

In the presence of this community of faith, do you commit yourself to follow the way of Christ in your public and private life?
and
Will you share with your child the Christian life, and seek to grow with him/her in faith, hope, and love?

Although you will find your own ways to keep these promises, we can agree that they require a willingness to make God a part of your home, to provide an environment which is truly safe, and to be a family that is part of the church family.The decision to share with our children is as natural as wanting the best food, health care, or education for them.  The promises of Baptism are based on the assumption that we want to share with our children the faith in God which is so important to us.

Of course, the decision to be confirmed will ultimately be made by the child.  However, we accept responsibility as parents to help our children understand the importance of this decision and that it is one which they, not the parents, must make.  Parents are expected to encourage participation in the program but, in the end, the decision whether to be confirmed is made by each person without pressure.