Baby/Child Dedication
Baby or child dedications at Neighbours Church are a celebration of parents dedicating their child and themselves to the Lord. It is a public commitment to raise their child in the ways and teaching of Jesus. They are declaring that their child is a gift from God, and that they want to dedicate their child back to the Lord.
God delights in children and takes great pleasure in them. Psalm 127:3 tells us that children are a gift from God. Because children are a gift from God, it is natural that Christian parents present and dedicate their child back to God. We are also told in 1 Samuel 1 that Hannah presented her son Samuel to the Lord. And in Luke 2:22 we read that Mary and Joseph brought their baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem in order to present Him before the Lord. In the same way, parents present first themselves and then their child before the Lord.
Contact the church office to talk to one of our pastors to set up a date to dedicate your baby/child to the Lord or to ask additional questions
*All baby/child dedications done by staff or through Neighbours Church must align with the ACOP statement of faith, and be approved by the lead pastor in adherence to the constitution of Neighbours Church.
Water Baptism
Water baptism is a public declaration of your faith in Christ. It is a symbolic act, to show that you are choosing to die to self and your old way of life, and to live for Christ. When we go down into the water, we are saying that we are dying to our old way of life, to our fleshly desires and nature. When we come up out of the water, we are declaring that we are resurrected with Christ. That the life we now live, is a life for Him.
Membership
1 Corinthians 12
Commitment to the Body of Christ at Neighbours Church can look different based on the choice of people who choose to participate and call Neighbours Church their home. We understand that each person is on a journey and may be comfortable at different levels of commitment to the church based on personal convictions. So, we want to acknowledge that we see at least four levels of commitment to Neighbours Church.
Weddings
Christian marriage is the covenant commitment of a man and a woman to walk this life with one another in partnership with the Lord. Although Jesus was single, He celebrated the marriage union between a man and a woman in Matthew 19:3-12, and the apostle Paul built on the teaching of Jesus' life in 1 Corinthians 7 celebrating the single life and marriage. Jesus honoured the commitment of marriage while He walked this earth with His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It was there that He performed His first miracle. Marital love is a precious gift to be cherished. God says to us, that what He has joined together, let no person separate; and that a three-strand cord (husband, wife, and Jesus) is not easily broken. God’s desire is that as we submit ourselves to one another and to Him out of love, our bond would grow closer. We believe that the longevity of any marriage union will depend on the couple fulfilling God’s Word to one another in their relationship. If you are interested in pre-marriage counselling or learning more about getting married at Neighbours Church and the fees involved we would love to connect with you.
*All weddings done by staff or through Neighbours Church must align with the ACOP statement of faith, and be approved by the lead pastor in adherence to the constitution of Neighbours Church.
Funerals
If you have recently lost a loved one, we are so sorry for your loss and are here to help you and your family. We know that it can be hard to lose the people we love, and we are committed to helping you through this difficult time. Please reach out to the church for any help that you might need in this time of grief for counseling, support, or funeral arrangements.
At Neighbours Church we believe that Christian funerals are a celebration of a life lived for Christ, and a time to remember and mourn the loss of our loved ones. Although, our loved ones who have placed their faith and trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus are in the presence of Jesus experiencing perfect love, joy, and peace; that is not our experience on this side of heaven, it can be a time of deep loss. Even though we are people who grieve with the hope of the resurrection, the feelings of deep loss and grief on this side of heaven come in many forms, causing hard times: emotionally, physically, relationally, financially, and spiritually, so please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help. We pray the Lord will give you the strength you need.
The Cycle of Grief Proceeds As Follows:
- The initial shock of death
- Emotional release
- Loneliness and depression
- Guilt
- Anger or hostility
- Inertia or listlessness
- Gradual return to hope
- Returning to normality
How Can You Help Yourself or Someone You Love Through The Cycle of Grief?
- Talk about what you feel
- Understand it is healthy to mourn or grieve
- Express your feelings of hurt, guilt, anger, confusion, or despair … God wants to hear.
- Remind yourself of the truth of God’s Word:
- We ‘shall never die’ ~ John 11:25-26
- We have everlasting life ~ John 3:16
- We have a place assured in heaven ~ John 14:6
- We shall take part in the bodily resurrection in heaven ~ 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
- Remember that God sees our earthly life as preparation for the greater joys of heaven ~ Mark 8:36
- >Don’t second guess the situation, yourself or your relationship with the one whom you have lost.
- Stay involved in your current commitments, don’t withdrawal.
- Talk to the Lord, and pray through how you feel.
Again, please reach out to the church for any help that you might need in this time of grief for counseling, support, or funeral arrangements.
*All funerals done by staff or through Neighbours Church must align with the ACOP statement of faith, and be approved by the lead pastor in adherence to the constitution of Neighbours Church.
Volunteering
We are so thankful you are considering volunteering at Neighbours Church. We need you, and your gifts to serve as part of this spiritual family. The Bible says that every believer has been given a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:6) to serve the church; which ultimately means that if any of us doesn’t use our gifts, we are all missing out as a community on what God has given each of us to offer one another. God, Himself believes your gifts are needed at our church.
