Baptism
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is one of the two sacraments of the Presbyterian Church, USA, the other being Holy Communion. Baptism is a “holy, visible, sign and seal, appointed of God.” (Heidelberg Catechism). In baptism we are “enrolled, entered and received into the covenant and family, and so, into the inheritance of the children of God” (2nd Helvetic Confession). In baptism, we confess our faith and obligate ourselves to God, remembering Christ’s death and resurrection, and acknowledging that we are washed clean by our belief in Him.
Christian baptism can be done by the sprinkling, pouring of, or immersion in, water. Christian baptism is always Trinitarian: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. We believe Christian baptism should occur only once during a person’s lifetime, for our God is faithful to God’s covenant. It should not be repeated.
Christian baptism is also offered to the children of believers. Requests for the sacrament of Holy Baptism should be made to the Pastor, who will schedule a time of preparatory conversation, and present the request to Session.
Baptism into the family of God is a great joy and cause for much celebration in the life a congregation.
Holy Communion
We believe that all are welcome to the Lord’s table regardless of their age or understanding. (BOO W-3.0409) In Holy Communion, we believe Jesus Christ is spiritually present with us in a special way. He invites us to celebrate Holy Communion, also called the Lord’s Supper. This Sacrament nourishes us with spiritual food and strength. It assists us as we grow in grace by the power of the Holy Spirit.
At East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church, the sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated the first Sunday of the month as well as Christmas Eve, Maundy Thursday, Easter, Pentecost, and World Communion Sunday.
Holy Communion may also be requested when you are hospitalized, a nursing home resident, or homebound.
Weddings
As you begin planning your wedding, there are many choices to make. If you are considering having your wedding at ESPC please know that we will work with you to create a service that both honors God and reflects the holiness of the covenant you are making with one another.
Two important ideas lie at the foundation of our vision of ministry for weddings held at East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church. First, and most importantly, we believe that a wedding is significant because it marks the beginning of a marriage. Second, we view a wedding as a service of worship on the occasion of your marriage. It is a service that is about thanking God and praying for His blessing on your marriage.
Weddings may be booked no more than twelve months in advance. Many more details are included in the ESPC information guide.
