Ceremonies that celebrate and welcome new life recognize a child’s natural state of grace and welcome it to life with its parents, family, and community. When such celebrations are based on awareness and express love and joy, the child and everyone present is truly blessed.
One of the most meaningful and amazing times in the life of a parent is the birth or adoption of a child, who must truly be a reflection of the divine. This time is often filled with excitement, joy, positive expectations, and a sense of our deepest and truest nature. It can also be a challenging and demanding time when the support from family and friends are invaluable.
At such times we, Rev. William (Bill) Mies and Rev. Joanne Marshall-Mies, look forward to supporting parents in designing a ceremony to formally welcome the child into this world and then we co-facilitate this event.
Together, as ceremony celebrants we meet with the parents twice to structure and design the ceremony. This ceremony can vary from traditional and religions, such as baptisms and christenings, to more ecumenical or secular welcoming ceremonies.
During our initial meeting we pay special attention to:
- Parents’ spiritual and/or cultural backgrounds and values.
- The parent’s vision for the ceremony/celebration.
- What it means to the parents that their child has joined the family.
- The child’s name and why this name was chosen.
- Emerging personality of the child, as experienced by the parents.
We also discuss:
- Ceremony location and number of guests.
- Ceremony participants and guests
- Role, if any, of siblings in the ceremony
- Whether godparents or grandparents will be present and/or say vows
- List of possible ceremony elements
- Whether the parents desire any rituals (e.g., baptism, washing the child’s feet, community candle lighting, special cultural practices, etc.)
Based on this discussion, we provide guidance on a tentative outline/structure for the ceremony, example ceremonies and content, and suggest questions for the parents to answer. Then, integrating the parent’s answers to these questions and other input, we draft the ceremony script, send it to the parents for review and edit, and then have a second meeting with the parents to finalize and practice the ceremony.
If you care to explore the possibility of our working together on a meaningful christening or secular welcoming ceremony which encourages a sense of presence and awareness, please contact us or call
Bill:
1-443-454-8229
Joanne:
1-443-454-8228