Child dedications
What is Child Dedication?
At Summit Church AK, we regularly celebrate child dedications. While it is called “child dedication,” it is really a family commitment to ”train up a child in the way he should go,” as written in Proverbs 22:6.
We choose to follow the example of Hannah, found in 1 Samuel 1 & 2, who prayed fervently for many years for a child, though she was barren. She promised to “give him to the Lord all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11), if God would just grant her a son. Her request was honored, and Hannah in return, honored her promise. While leaving your toddler under the care of a high priest for the rest of his or her life is no longer the norm for a child dedication, we still believe it’s a worthwhile tradition to follow.
Summit recognizes that Christian parents have been given a tremendous responsibility. According to Ephesians 6:4, parents must bring their children up in the way of the Lord, through discipline and instruction. By dedicating your child, you are agreeing to this way of life for your whole family, vowing to submit your children to the will of the Lord and raise each child in a God-honoring household.
Good news! We do not expect you to do this alone. As part of the dedication, we ask that the whole church partners with you in raising your kids this way. According to 1 Corinthians 12:25-27, we are to suffer, honor, and celebrate together as one body in Christ. Each of us has a vital role to play in the continuation of faith through the generations.
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We have dedicated newborns through teenagers! If you’ve never dedicated your Senior in high school, you still can. Typically, we dedicate babies to elementary students. Dedication is a great option for those kids who are not old enough to make the decisions of baptism for themselves yet. (Summit recommends children be at least 8 years old prior to baptism.)
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Summit holds Child Dedications twice a year. You can check out our events page here for registration information about our next Dedication.
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Families are invited to join the pastors on the stage for the purpose of dedication to be shared with everyone in attendance, and to be covered in the prayers of the pastors and the congregation. Each family receives a gift following the dedication, and at the conclusion of service, Summit hosts an after party to celebrate the decision of these families!
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We are happy to answer any questions you might have. Please reach out to our Summit Kids Director, Deanna Woods, at deanna@summitak.org.
