The Seven Sacraments
The Church recognises seven sacraments, seven being the biblical number for perfection. We believe that the Lord Jesus left the Christian community these seven signs of love that would strengthen and nourish us throughout all of the struggles and joys, trials and temptations of our lives. A sacrament makes visible the mystery of God’s love for us and is often defined as an outward and visible sign of an inner work of grace. Their purpose is to make us holy before God, build up the Body of Christ (the Church), give worship to God and empower us to fulfil our God given vocations. The Sacraments were given to us by God through Christ and was given to meet real needs at various stages of our lives. The seven sacraments are:
Baptism: which gives new life and brings us into the community of faith.
Confirmation: the sacrament that strengthens our faith and moves us forward into a responsible life of discipleship within the Church.
Eucharist: The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, where we are caught up into his saving death on the cross and sent out into the world as witnesses to the Kingdom.
Penance: the sacrament for the forgiveness of sins, where we are reunited with God in Christ and to each other.
Anointing of the Sick: the sacrament of physical, emotional and spiritual healing, where the community, in the name of Christ, anoints the sick person and presents them to God for healing.
Marriage: the sacrament that celebrates the plan of God from creation, where a man and a woman come together in a sacred bond of love, in a way that witnesses to the love God has for his Church.
Holy Orders: this is the sacrament where God anoints and sends our servants of the Church, who minister to God’s people in the name of Christ, administering the sacraments, praying with and for others, preaching the Word, teaching the faith and witnessing to the saving power of God in creation.
These seven sacraments celebrate the mystery of God’s love and presence among us. They are not magical but demand faith and a humble openness to the power of God.
Baptism: The Sacrament of Faith
Baptism is the celebration by which a person is brought into membership in the family of the Church and is the foundation of everything that a Christian believes and does as a child of God. It is carried out in response to an invitation by God and is performed only once. In the sacrament, a person is baptised into Christ and is linked to other Christians through this intimate union with the Son of God. In the diocese, those seeking baptism as an adult (or baptism for their children) are helped to prepare for this significant event by participation in a programme of instruction. For adults this is spread out over a period of about a year. In the course they come to know members of their Christian community, share in their life of prayer and worship and are introduced to the teachings of the faith. As they grow in their relationship to Jesus, they also grow in an understanding of their responsibilities and duties in the Church family. The Diocese upholds the baptism of children and the parents and sometimes the godparents of children being baptised also go through a period of preparation with the priest or a lay person from the parish. This is much shorter and the content will depend on a range of factors. Someone wishing to join the Anglican Church from another Christian church and who has been baptised in that Church, does not undergo a second baptism. Baptism are always celebrated within the Sunday Eucharist unless there are special circumstances. Read more on what the Church believes about Baptism>
Confirmation: Being Sent out to Preach the Good News
When an adult is being baptised they are confirmed at the same time. Younger children are confirmed after a course to prepare them to take up their responsibilities within the Church. This preparation will take place within the parish and most often be carried out by a range of people including the priest. They will learn the art of praying, how to read and understand the bible and grow in their knowledge of the faith they are to confirm in the sacrament Confirmation is only administered by the Bishop and normally takes place between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, though there are variations to those times depending on need. Given the need for a substantial preparation it is necessary to contact the parish priest as early as possible to find out more details about reception of this sacrament. Read more on what the Church believes about Confirmation>
The Eucharist: Holy Communion
In obedience to the command of Jesus Christ, the Church holds the Eucharist at the centre of its life as a community of faith. Each day, in churches around the world, the faithful gather to celebrate the memorial of the death of Jesus in response to his request. The Mass, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, the Eucharist, it goes by many names but it is all one and the same sacred gift from God. In the Eucharist, the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ and the people are fed with food that brings with it the promise of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of everlasting life. This is the sacrifice that binds people together in Christ and makes the Church a holy people of God. All of our parishes in the diocese have Masses celebrated throughout the week with Sunday being the main time for the coming together of the whole community of faith. Read more on what the Church believes about the Eucharist >
The Sacrament of Matrimony: Marriage
Marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman that is founded on the will of God in his work of creation. There he made the man and brought the woman to him, to live with him. God saw that this was good and he blessed it. Down through the biblical tradition, such relationships have been seen as being sacred and in accord with the will of God. Jesus repeated the same understanding and urged couples to be faithful in their union, just as God was faithful in his relationships with his people. Marriage is for life, though we are weak and sinful people and we find ourselves in a world where marriages fail. The Church acknowledges this and makes allowance for the possibility of remarriage after divorce. This is done with a dispensation from the Bishop. Marriage is only carried out after appropriate preparation, which often means taking part in a marriage course. These are excellent and of great assistance in preparing for a life together. Marriage normally takes place in the local parish church, though the Bishop may give permission for the celebration to take place in another suitable venue. There are generally fees associated with weddings, though these are kept to a minimum and can be obtained from contact with the local priest. Read more on what the Church believes about Marriage >
Confession: the Sacrament of Penance
Though we are baptised into Christ, the sad reality is that all men and women sin and fall short of the goals set for them by God. Life is a constant call to repent and renew our lives and we are able to do this through the grace and power of God’s Holy Spirit. However, God is a merciful God and no matter what sins we might commit, no matter how far we may seek to remove ourselves from him by our actions, he continues to love us and to call us back to a life in him. While he was still with his followers in Galilee, Jesus promised them that he would give them the power to forgive sins, reassuring them what sins they would forgive, his heavenly Father would forgive. Confession then is the sacrament of healing of the soul, when a person, led by a spirit of repentance, acknowledges his or her sins before Almighty God. Through the gift that God gave to the Church, the priest, in the name of God, absolves the repentant sinner from all sin. He helps them to work at amending the kind of lifestyle that has led them to sin and prays with them and for them. It is a sacrament that is reserved to the priests and every parish will be able to provide opportunities for confession. These are often at designated times of the week but every priest is willing to be available on call to celebrate confession with the person seeking forgiveness. Read more on what the Church believes about Confession >
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
In the sacrament of Holy Orders a man is ordained into the priestly ministry. This takes place after years of study and discernment by the Church as it seeks to be clear what God’s will for this person may be. The gift of priestly ministry comes from God and it is not something that comes about simply because someone thinks that they have a vocation to the priesthood. It is a difficult calling and makes great demands on the person called and will be a life of sacrifice. The priest shares in the ministry of Christ in a special way and must be able to witness to a life of holiness and Gospel living. While they may be engaged in a range of ministries, most priests work in parish communities, either on their own or as a part of a team. They bring the sacraments to God’s people and work in close collaboration with the Bishop and other priests. While in some churches women are ordained as priests, here in the Diocese of Ballarat the ancient traditions are still faithfully kept and only men are ordained to priestly ministry. Those who think they might have a vocation and wish to explore that possible calling, should contact their local Anglican priest who will direct them towards those who will be able to assist them in their search. Read more on what the Church believes about Holy Orders >
The Anointing of the Sick: The Sacrament of Healing
Sickness can be a time of great trial for many as we come face to face with out own vulnerability and the certainty of our death. None of us likes to be made to feel impotent and powerless and it is at those moments of great vulnerability that the sacrament of the anointing of the sick is such a wonderful gift. It is carried out by the priest and uses the ancient symbols of the laying on of hands and the anointing with sacred oil. Both of these are accompanied by prayer and bible readings, reminding us of the loving mercy of the God of Healing. This sacrament used to be seen as the anointing of those in danger of death but the Church now sees it as a part of the way we should deal with all illness, though it is of special support and help to those who are chronically and terminally ill. It can be repeated often and regularly and many parishes have an anointing service as a part of their weekly celebrations. Reception of the sacrament is arranged through the local rectory. Read more on what the Church believes about Confession >