As godmother, I am allowed certain indulgences. It is only fair. I get to buy cute clothes (not for myself). I get to browse and read books for fun. I get to cut, color, fold, and paste things into a blessings book for my godchild. I get to join in with a wider group of people who wait expectantly for this little person to enter into the world. I get to join them in sending our blessings to this little baby who is, after all, God's grace and blessing in our lives. I get to welcome God's new creation... soon and very soon...
How does one go about preparing one's self to be a godmother? I know that I participate to "train up a child in the ways it should grow," but what are my responsibilities as godparent?
As a United Methodist, I understand that "the ministry or office of godparent is a ministry of creative and nurturing love, a gentle evangelizer to younger brothers and sisters in the faith so that they come to a place of owning their baptism, professing their faith in the triune God, and knowing the basic disciplines of discipleship" (Source).
This is from the United Methodist website:
The United Methodist Book of Discipline does use the term "godparent" along with the word "sponsor" and does so because in different regions and different churches one or the other of the terms is familiar and comfortable. Both derive from the ancient practice of the church of a mature, reliable Christian serving as a mentor and encourager of persons coming into the Christian life in baptism, whether adult or child. In all infant baptisms, the parents or other family member serve as the primary sponsor, and in many churches another Christian or two are named as "godparents"-- sponsors and encouragers for the child. In the case of adults, the sponsor walks with the person on a journey of conversion, until the day they are baptized--perhaps weeks or months after having learned and experienced the way Christians live and think. When it is a child or infant, the sponsor/godparent and the parents walk with the child on a journey of conversion until they claim the way of Christ as his or her own at confirmation or some other profession of faith.
In essence, as godmother to Madeline, I am to live my life as a faithful Christian to help develop, encourage, nurture my godchild's faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so that she too may experience God's grace and love and therefore grow up in this world to become herself a disciple of Christ, embodying God's Word, joining in the effort to create a world of peace, love, justice, and mercy.
- Pray regularly for your godchild
- Set an example of Christian living
- Help her grow in the faith -- until she claims the way of Christ as her own
Heavy responsibilities indeed. And that doesn't even include clothing and feeding and the child!
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