WEDDINGS
God
created marriage to display his love in the context of relationship. His
purpose is to reveal the love of his Son for his bride the Church and
demonstrate the importance of submission of the church to his beloved Son –
Jesus Christ. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians emphasizes the role of marriage
within the cosmic work of Christ.
Marriage
was originally created by God to proclaim the mystery of Christ and the church.
The union between a man and a woman symbolizes the union of Christ and the
church which the apostle Paul called “mystery.” I.e., Christ died for the
church, and the church submits to Christ, a beautiful picture God intended to
proclaim His covenantal love to the entire World.
Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Toronto believes those who have
professed their faith in Jesus Christ are eternally secure in heaven to be with
the Lord forever. Christians view death as a doorway to a better place.
Christian funeral services therefore would not be sombre, but more of a Life
Celebration for the departed. The services are held to bring comfort to the
family and friends and provide hope in knowing that their loved one is with the
Lord. Family and friends are comforted to know that their loved one is at peace
in heaven.
To the Christian, this is an assurance of his/her destiny
according to what the Bible teaches about life after death and faith in Jesus
Christ. Ethiopian Evangelical Church would stand with the family and go through
the pre-planning and after of a funeral or memorial service in the best way to
help families during their difficult time of grief.
DEDICATIONS
The
scriptural bases for child dedication are found in 1 Samuel 1:27–28 (NASB),
where a godly woman Hannah prayed for a child and God answered her prayer by
giving her a son, whom she named Samuel. When Samuel was born, Hannah prayed
again saying:
“For
this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him.
So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated
to the Lord”
In Luke
chapter 2 of the New Testament, following the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
took the infant Jesus to the temple and dedicated Him. In both passages above
we see that parents entrusted their child completely to God. Moreover, the Law
of Moses describes God’s plan on how a parent should raise up a child
(Deuteronomy 6:5–9):
Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as
symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the
doorframes of your houses and on your gates
Ethiopian
Evangelical Church in Toronto believes that children are a gift from God. Child
dedication is therefore – a public commitment that parents make before God, the
church, and family. The dedication service provides the parents, an opportunity
to express publicly their desire to lead and spiritually nurture the child, so
the child would develop faith in God and a desire to love God and love others.
BELIEVERS' BAPTISM
Baptism
symbolizes the union of a believer with Christ in his death and resurrection
(Romans 6:1-5). It is performed by immersion in the name of the Triune God –
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Ethiopian Evangelical
Church baptizes born-again believers who committed their life to Christ. (We do
not practice infant baptism (pedo-baptism).
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