Weddings
Through the years, hundreds of couples, members and non-members, have been married in the Gilford Community Church. Our pastor would be delighted to sit down with you and help you plan your wedding. Our sanctuary is a beautiful setting for weddings (capacity 400). Couples interested in a wedding ceremony are most welcome to contact us. Weddings are planned with our Pastor, and must be scheduled well in advance.
All reservations require a $50.00 security deposit, which will be applied to the $300.00 fee for use of the sanctuary. The balance of $250.00, the pastor's fee and the fee for the organist are due two weeks before your wedding.
Our spacious Fellowship Hall accommodates receptions for up to 220 guests. To inquire about availability for your wedding, contact us. [download the wedding brochure in PDF format]
Baptisms and Dedication
Recognizing the diverse traditions of our members and the fact that people come to God in a variety of ways, the Gilford Community Church practices both baptism and infant dedication. Baptism has always been an important ritual in the life of the church. It points to the grace of God and awakens us to our identity as God's children. We baptize children at a variety of ages with varying amounts of water. Water is a symbol of life; baptism is a symbol of moving from death to life. It also celebrates the fact that humans are communal beings. We need each other. Both infant baptism and the dedication of young children express the promises parents choose to make on behalf of their children. Parents promise, with the help of the Spirit and the local community, to raise their children in the knowledge of Christ's good news for the world.
There is power and beauty in the promises we make in the service of baptism and recognition of the mystery of our faith. Either of these commitments is open to be ratified by the child at a later time. A child who was baptized as an infant may "confirm" his or her baptism in a service of "confirmation" later on; a child who was dedicated as an infant may profess his or her faith and be baptized.
There is no right or wrong age for a decision to be baptized or confirmed. Our pastor would be pleased to meet with families at any time to talk about faith commitments with children and parents.