Washed and Welcome: A Baptism Sourcebook (with CD-ROM)

The Washed and Welcome sourcebook is for the pastor, Christian educator or anyone leading/organizing a baptismal preparation class. It is also for anyone who is interested in supporting and amplifying a congregation's total baptismal ministry.

This book is a practical theological resource to help pastors walk parents and sponsors through the various parts of baptism. The book includes reproducible pages for parents and sponsors, session options, resource lists, practical helps related to a congregation's total baptismal ministry, handouts, bulletin inserts, and more.

Session plans are organized around several different approaches to baptismal preparation, including:

• Using the baptism service from Evangelical Lutheran Worship
• Scriptural images of baptism
• Luther's Small Catechism
• Daniel Erlander's baptism manual, Let the Children Come
• An approach for children beyond infancy

The sourcebook also includes helpful tips and resources for the pastor or Christian educator including:

• Baptism checklists for parents, pastors, and sponsors or godparents
• Suggestions for conducting baptismal rehearsals
• Baptizing a child with special needs
• What to do when parents choose a non-Christian godparent
• When family members are not all Christians
• Godparenting 101
• Ways to celebrate a baptismal anniversary
• Preaching about baptism
• And more

This sourcebook includes a CD-ROM with editable (RTF) files for customizing documents to your congregation. Documents are also available in PDF format.

"The lessons offer various entry points into the significance of baptism: the liturgy itself, the catechism, the metaphorical meanings of baptism, and Daniel Erlander's books."

"Resources in many of the sections are completely unique and new, and appeal to a wide range of teaching and learning styles." -- Pastor and blogger Clint Schnekloth