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PRAYER CELEBRATING LIFE

For the gift of a child, [NAME] whose innocence and laughter keep the world young, we rejoice and give thanks. May this new life, which we have accepted into our community of ideals and friendship, receive abundantly the blessings of health, love, knowledge, and wisdom, and in her/his turn give back richly to the common heritage that endures from generation to generation. And for the gift of parenthood made to [PARENT] and [PARENT] we also give our thanks. May they and all parents everywhere give their children security, freedom and love, and may they be blessed with much joy, much laughter and much patience in the divine task of nurture. Amen

PRAYER OF SPIRIT

Give us the spirit of the child.
Give us the child who lives within—the child who trusts, the child who imagines, the child who sings, the child who receives without reservation, the child who gives without judgement.
Give us a child's eyes, that we may receive the beauty and freshness of this day like a sunrise.
Give us a child's ears, that we may hear the music of mythical times.
Give us a child's heart, that we may be filled with wonder and delight.
Give us a child's faith, that we may be cured of our cynicism.
Give us the spirit of the child, who is not afraid to need, who is not afraid to love. Amen.

PRAYER OF JOY

We are glad to share the joy of these parents [PARENT] and [PARENT]. With them we wonder at the miracle of life recreating itself. We promise to uphold them in the task of nurturing their child and dedicate ourselves to building a community in which the possibilities of their child's life may be fully realized. We speak their child's name [CHILD] honouring in him/her the rights and dignities of the human person.

PRAYER OF HOPE

With all our hopes and dreams for your future, we celebrate your being. May you always feel the love that surrounds you. May your days be filled with wonder and your nights be gentle. May your years on this earth be blessed with strength, health and wisdom. May the love you are be the power forever guiding your light on this earth. May God bless and keep you. And may your days be good and long upon this earth.

PRAYER OF GRACE

Heavenly Father, we praise you for this childs birth—surround him/her with your blessings that he/she may know your love, be protected from evil, and know your goodness all his/her days. May he/she learn to love all that is true, grow in wisdom and strength and, come through faith to the fullness of your Grace.

May God the Father of all bless these parents and godparents and give them grace to love and care for their child. May God give them wisdom, patience and faith, and help them to provide for this beloved childs needs.

Eternal Father, we thank you for the rich variety of the families you have created for us, and for the relationships which we see and enjoy within them. Help us to respect and learn from each other. We thank you too for love that binds the families that are here today, and ask your blessing on them.

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of an earthly home, bless the home of this child, may it provide shelter, warmth and security to the family and to all those who visit.

All this we ask in Jesus's name, Amen.

PRAYER OF PROTECTION

Blessings on you, Child of God, Child of the Universe. May you be wrapped in care and protected from all harm. May all that touches you be tender and kind. May stars dazzle your eyes and rainbows delight your heart. May affirming words and glances encourage the goodness that is you. May you have fun exploring the world and discovering hidden treasures....

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever.
Amen

GOSPEL READING – MARK 10:13-15

They brought children for Jesus to touch. The disciples rebuked them, but when Jesus saw them he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not try to stop them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." And he put his arms round them, and blessed them.

GOSPEL READING – JOHN 3: 1-2

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God's children;
and that is what we are.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future
has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.

iRISH BABY BLESSING

May all the blessing of our Lord touch your life today.
May He send His little angels to protect you on your way.
Such a wee little fit, sent from above.
Someone so precious to cherish and love.
May sunshine and moonbeams dance over you head.
As you quietly slumber in your bed.
May good luck be with you wherever you go.
And your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.

RAINBOW BLESSING

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow
For every tear, a smile
For every care, a promise
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song
And an answer for every prayer.
God Bless, you CHILD.

BLESSING OF STRENGTH

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Remember O God your child [CHILD] that as this child grows in knowledge of your truth, may he/she be led to acknowledge your truth in they life.

And continue to bless O Lord the parents of this child, that they may be strengthened to keep the promises they have made, and so to live that their child may see in them what it is to live a good and sound life. Continue to bless all in this home and any who enter. Amen

BLESSING OF GRACE

The Lord bless you and watch over you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord look kindly on you and give you peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always.

BLESSING OF GLORY

And now, to Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before Him; to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

BLESSING OF TRUTH

Remember, O God, your child [CHILD] that as he/she grows in knowledge of your truth, he/she may be led to acknowledge your truth in his life. And continue to bless O Lord, the parents of this child, that they may be strengthened to keep the promises they have made, and so to live that [CHILD] may see in them what it is to live a good and sound life. Continue to bless all in this home and any who enter in. May their lives be full of peace and joy. Amen

BLESSING OF THE JOY AND PEACE

O God, our heavenly Father, grant that this child, as he/she grows in years, may also grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that by the restraining and renewing influence of the Holy Spirit he/she may ever be a true child of thine, serving thee faithfully all of his/her days.

So guide and uphold the parents of this child that by giving care, wise counsel, and holy example, they may lead him/her into that life of faith whose strength is righteousness and whose fruit is everlasting joy and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING OF PERFECT LOVE

May the God of All Creation who formed you beneath your Mother's heart, smile on you this Holy Day of Baptism. Living Waters baptize you at the Font of New Life and anoint you with the grace of Jesus. May all who watch over you be blessed with Awe and they behold the perfect gift of Love that you are. May the Light of Christ guide you always in the path of Truth as you grow in Wisdom, Grace and Love

CLOSING BLESSING by Tyron Edwards

Honor thy parents, those that gave thee birth, and watched in tenderness thine earliest days, and trained thee up in youth, and loved in all. Honor, obey and love them; it shall fill their souls with holy joy, and shall bring down God's richest blessing on thee; and in days to come, thy children, it they're given, shall honor thee, and fill thy life with peace.

CLOSING BENEDICTION

Blessed are you, our God, ruler of the universe, maker of heaven and earth, keeper of sky and sea. In your goodness you give us the sign of water. At the beginning your spirit was at work, brooding over the waters of creation's birth, breaking the water with the word of power, bringing forth life in all its fullness.

Over and over again you have shown your grace to us as water cleansing the earth at the flood , parting for the exodus at the Red Sea, flowing from the rock in the wilderness. In Jesus you promised that all who thirst could come to the living water.

Therefore, eternal and present God, We bless you for the water with which you bless us.
We pray that those who are given to the waters of life
Will live in your grace.

Send, O God, your Holy spirit upon us and upon this holy water, that all who are gathered under this sign, being one in Christ, may be nurtured By the bread of life.
Now to God be given all glory, praise, honour And might.
Blessed be God forever. Amen

RELIGIOUS POEM by Carter Hayward

In the beginning was God,
In the beginning the source of all that is,
In the beginning God yearning, God moaning,
God labouring, God giving birth, God rejoicing.
And God loved what she had made, and God said,
"It is good". And God knowing that all that is good is shared, held the earth tenderly in her arms.
God yearned for relationship. God longed to share the good earth.
And humanity was born to share the earth.

RELIGIOUS POEM by Sophia Lyon Fahs

And so the children come.
And so they have been coming.
Always in the same way they come -
Born of the seed of man and woman.
No angels herald their beginning,
No prophets predict their future courses,
No wise men see a star to point their way
To find the babe that may save [hu]mankind.
Yet each night a child is born is a holy night.
Fathers and Mothers -
Sitting beside their children's cribs -
Feel glory in the wondrous sight of a life beginning.
They ask: "When or how will this new life end?
Or will it ever end?"
Each night a child is born is a holy night.