WE SHARE… Sacraments Look especially to the sacraments to enrich the spiritual life of the body. —Doctrine and Covenants 158:11c
Generously share the invitation, ministries, and sacraments through which people can encounter the Living Christ who heals and reconciles through redemptive relationships in sacred community. —Doctrine and Covenants 163:2b
The Sacraments We encounter God through the sacraments of the church, which touch lives at important times and places. Sacraments bring God’s grace, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and the example of the life of Jesus Christ together with one’s personal commitment of faith. Through the sacraments, we discover the presence of God everywhere and realize that all life is sacred. These encounters point to God’s loving desire to bring all people to peace, wholeness, and right relationships with one another and the Divine, which is the 44
Photo (top) by Marvin Crozier
meaning of salvation. The sacraments refresh, renew, and challenge us to continue on Christ’s mission, our mission, for the sake of all creation. Community of Christ has eight sacraments, most of which are celebrated in worship experiences at appropriate times.
Baptism Jesus began his work by asking to be baptized (Matthew 3:13–17). Baptism is a public act announcing you are choosing to follow Jesus Christ with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength. It is a decision that marks a significant point in recognizing God’s initiative in your life, turning toward God, and entering a covenant relationship to the community of disciples and God. In baptism, we are immersed in water to symbolize death to sin and raised from the water to begin a new life. Paul, an early convert to Christianity, wrote how baptism
