Trinity Evangelical Missionary Church of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada has a unique prayer twist on its baby dedications. The congregation believes it is important for the pastor to pray a blessing over the child. But because the parents are the ones who are actually dedicating their child to the Lord, they are encouraged to participate in a significant way.

Instead of the pastor speaking and leading the entire dedication, Trinity Church has the parents do it—through prayer. As is typical in many churches, the pastor invites the parents to bring the baby forward, with close relatives joining them at the front. But then the parents take the lead by praying over their baby. They are free to pray as they feel led—and often the mother prays a prayer that is somewhat prophetic. She asks the Lord to mold and shape her child, sharing all the “character quality” dreams she has for the baby as he or she grows up. Then the father takes the child and prayerfully offers him or her to God. Finally the pastor prays a blessing over the child. The dedication ends with a short charge to relatives and the congregation to help in raising the child.

In addition to this being a touching, powerful time in a service, some important prayer principles are modeled for the people. As the congregation listens to the prayers and hears character qualities being prayed about, it is a reminder that prayer can go beyond “fixing situations” by praying toward the future spiritual development of a child. It also provides a deeper link to the parents by reminding people to pray for them, as well as offering thoughts on ways to continue praying for the child.