Holy and beautiful is the custom of child dedication. Since ancient times parents have brought their children to their house of worship to be blessed and named and welcomed. In recognition of the challenges of raising a child to moral and spiritual maturity, parents also come forth to ask for the help and wisdom of their own parents, friends and religious community.
In the Unitarian Universalist tradition we teach that each child is born innocent, with unlimited potential to grow not only intellectually but spiritually and morally. It is therefore up to us as parents, grandparents, godparents and members of a religious community to be teachers, models and creators of an environment in which children can grow and thrive to their full potential.
So in this ceremony, we honor the child with the name that has been chosen, and dedicate ourselves to building the kind of world in which this little child and all children can grow to be spiritually, ethically and morally mature individuals.
Although child dedications are most often provided for infants, a child can be dedicated at any age, and more than one child may be dedicated in a ceremony designed to honor each child.
Children of church members are often dedicated as part of a Sunday worship service, scheduled on a date that is convenient for the family and consistent with the church schedule. Other times may also be arranged.