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Pastoral Services

Weddings:

Holy Matrimony is a sacrament of the Church and, as such, is taken very seriously at Holy Trinity. Those seeking to be married at Holy Trinity can expect 6 - 10 hours of private counseling prior to the wedding date. We expect that couples will have been members of Holy Trinity for at least 6 months before the ceremony or will be the children of active members. For more information, please contact the Rev. Leslie M. St. Louis at (301) 262-5353.

Baptism:

Holy Baptism is the Sacrament by which God adopts us as God's children and makes us members of Christ's body, the church, and the inheritors of the kingdom of God - Book of Common Prayer.

Baptism is when we become a part of the community of God's people, the Church. Individually, God claims us as God's own. The bond which God established in Baptism is indissoluble. Baptism is appropriate and available to all ages -- infants, children, youth, and adults.

Acolytes and Youth Minister John Daniels and acolytes before the Easter service

The Episcopal Church encourages Baptism of infants and believes that Baptism expresses the action of God's grace in all of life. We, the Church, parents, and godparents, then help the child know God as he or she matures in life and faith.

Baptism is administered with the Eucharist as the chief service on Sunday. The feast days when Baptisms are encouraged are: the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saints' Sunday, and the Baptism of our Lord. Parents of infants and children are asked to choose at least two godparents (male and female) who are baptized Christians. Godparents, along with parents, present the child for Baptism and promise to be in a life-long relationship with the child to help them know God in their life.

We encourage you to choose active Christians and to have an intentional conversation with them about how they will stay in relationship with your child. Their responsibility is to help the child learn about God through Jesus Christ until they are old enough to make their own decisions. Adults are asked to choose one or two Christians as sponsors at their Baptism. Because adults can speak for themselves, they will answer for themselves during the service once presented by their sponsors. For more information, please contact the Rev. Leslie M. St. Louis at (301) 262-5353.