What does it mean to be a Godparent?
To answer this one should know what the Church means by Holy Baptism.
WHAT IS BAPTISM?
Holy Baptism is the first step to Christian initiation and the first special outpouring of the grace of God upon a child. In later life the child will go on to Confirmation and participation in the life of the Church as his journey into closer relationship with God continues.
Baptism is a sacrament - an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself. The outward and visible sign is Water, wherein the person is baptized, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost - the inward and spiritual grace, “that, he , being dead unto sin, may live unto righteousness.” (BCP page 280)
Baptism is a washing - a spiritual washing in which the child is cleansed of the sin which is natural to the human condition. This cleansing is a newness of life which God grants through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is a means of grace and in it God adds His strength to the life of the child.
Baptism brings the child into a special relationship with God, and this relationship must be a continuing factor in the nurture of the child from that day forward.
At the time of Baptism the Church expects that there shall be three Godparents for each child, who will:
Represent the Church in assuming special responsibility for this new member of the Christian Family.
Make vows before God, in the name of the child.
Support the parents in bringing up this child within the fellowship of the Church.
WHAT, THEN IS A GODPARENT?
A Godparent is one who is qualified and willing to assume the foregoing responsibility:
What sort of person qualifies to assume such responsibility? Except in unusual circumstances Godparents should have been baptized. They should be living under a commitment to the Christian faith and be making an effort to live a Christian life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, within the fellowship of the Church. This should be coupled with a bond of affection for the child.
Realizing this, take the Book of Common Prayer and read through “The Ministrations of Holy Baptism.” On page 276 you will see what solemn promises and vows you will be making in the presence of God. As a Godparent you will vow in the child’s name:
To renounce evil in all its forms
The words in the prayer book service “Renounce the Devil and All his works,” accent the experience of our Lord, and the truth of Holy Scripture that there is in the world and evil power striving aggressively for the souls of man.
“To believe the Christian faith as stated in the Apostles’ Creed”
To serve God and keep His commandments
Having made these vows on behalf of the child you will then in your own name undertake:
To pray for him
To encourage and participate in the religious instruction of the child from the earliest possible moment.
To see that he learns the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments and receive such further instruction as is necessary for his spiritual growth.
To help him participate in the more abundant life of the Church’s worship.
To teach him to know what solemn vows have been made in his name at Baptism and to see that he is instructed and brought to the Bishop for Confirmation.
To do any of this you will need God’s help. Therefore you should pray for His grace to enable you to carry out your vows and obligations. Through a close personal relationship with your godchild from the beginning you will show him that you love him. By demonstrating your interest in the special occasions of his Church life you will show him the importance of these events in the life of a Christian. Above all, remember at the anniversaries of his baptism to express your unique relationship to this child who is your godchild.
Although your official duty is discharged when he is confirmed, use all means available to keep your contact with him alive. Later if he needs someone beside his parents for help or guidance, he will know he can turn to you with confidence and that you will have his welfare at heart. The obligations of Godparents are not to be undertaken a certain day and then forgotten. If you accept the invitation, be faithful to the trust.
If you plan to give your godchild a gift at Baptism, Confirmation or any anniversary, you might consider the following:
At Baptism
An appropriate cross and chain
A child’s holy picture, framed, for his room
Beginning Church School
A child’s illustrated Bible
A Book of Common Prayer
Stories of the Saints
At Confirmation
A devotional manual or book of private prayers
A reprint of a famous religious painting
A Bible, including Apocrypha, with concordance
PRAYER FOR A GODCHILD
O Lord Jesus Christ, who doth embrace children with the arms of Thy mercy, and doth make them living members of Thy Church, Give grace, I pray thee, to my Godchild, ___________________________, to stand fast in Thy faith to obey Thy work and to abide in Thy love; that, being made strong by Thy Holy Spirit, he may resist temptation and may rejoice in the life that now is, and dwell with Thee in the life to come; through Thy merit, O merciful Savior, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end, Amen.
GODPARENTS PRAYER FOR HIS GODCHILD ON ANNIVERSARY OF BAPTISM
Grant, O Lord, that my Godchild __________________________, has been received into the congregation of Christ’s flock and signed with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he should not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, so he may manfully fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and may continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end; through Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
What the Church Expects of Godparents
