Baptisms
Sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. (BCP 308)
Holy Baptism is the sacrament “by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God.” (BCP p. 858) Baptism is God’s way of publicly saying, “I love you.” The Baptismal Covenant is both ancient and modern in its affirmation of belief and the promises made by the one being baptized or by parents and godparents on behalf of the one baptized. Baptisms take place during a regularly scheduled worship service at St. Paul’s.
If you are interested in baptism for yourself or your child, please contact the Parish Office (stpaulsstockbridge@gmail.com) to set a date and schedule a time to meet with one of the priests.
Weddings
According to our Christian faith, in marriage, each individual—both separately and together—transforms and matures in God’s presence and image. A wedding, then, is a sacred ritual that acknowledges and celebrates your desire to enter a lifelong relationship. Your marriage is a sacrament—an outward and visible sign of God’s grace bringing you together and nurturing your love. At least one member of the couple must be a baptized Christian. There is no requirement that the couple be members of St. Paul’s, but weddings at St. Paul’s will be according to the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer or authorized Episcopal liturgies.
Weddings are not celebrated during the seasons of Lent or Advent unless in case of pastoral emergency. Weddings are also not celebrated during Holy Week or the week after Easter. Any other time is a wonderful time for your wedding. You will need to schedule your wedding date at least six months to a year in advance. Please note that it may not be possible to schedule a wedding less than three months in advance. Premarital counseling is required of all couples, and the Bishop’s permission must be sought if either of the couple has been divorced.
Contact stpaulsstockbridge@gmail.com to begin your marriage journey with us. All couples, regardless of orientation, follow the same policies.
Download the PDF of “Guidelines and Requirements for Marriage at St. Paul’s
Funerals
Funerals at St. Paul’s Church are best understood as “Easter” liturgies—grounded in the hope of new and eternal life to come. As with baptisms and weddings, these services follow the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. To begin the process of planning a funeral, we ask that the death of a member of St. Paul’s Church be reported to the parish office as soon as possible and that the family meet with the parish clergy as soon as possible.
Please note that no final plans should be made or service dates publicized before this consultation. Contact stpaulsstockbridge@gmail.com to coordinate securing the date and time of the service.
St. Paul’s has a beautiful Memorial Garden for interring ashes. Information is available from St. Paul’s Office about this Garden and how to reserve a spot.
We at St. Paul’s Church are eager to support all grieving families with prayer and every presence we can safely and faithfully provide. One does not have to be a member of St. Paul’s to request a funeral be held here. Guidelines and fees are listed in the document below.
Download the PDF of Guidelines for Memorial Services at St. Paul’s