Naming Ceremony

Thank you to all of those who joined us for Norah's Naming Ceremony. You helped us make a special day for our daughter. The following is the text of the ceremony. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the link to the photos from the day.

In welcoming and naming a child, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles, the birth of a human being and the continuation of human kind. We rejoice that this baby has been born into the care of her parents, but also the care of this gathering and community.

“It takes a village to raise a child.”
While the task of nurturing children belongs mainly to their parents, it also belongs to all of you, family, friends and colleagues who are gathered here today. You are representatives of the larger community in which this baby will grow up. It is through you that she will come to know her community and her world. By your support, example and encouragement you have a part to play in the development of this child to her fullest potential.

Today Kate and Tom want to share in the celebration of their baby’s birth and to ask you to share in this first step – her introduction to this gathering of people who will guide her along the way.

In bringing your child to be named before family and friends, you acknowledge that she is more than your own creation and private concern, and you declare your wish and purpose to raise her according to your best efforts according to the values which you know deep in your hearts to be true. Many of these you pledged when you committed your lives to each other. To this end, will you teach your child, by example, to walk in the ways of truth, love and compassion?

Kate and Tom, please read your pledge to your daughter

• We will recognize your worth as a person, and help you to strengthen your sense of belonging to the human family.
• We will give you our love so that you may grow with trust in yourself and in other people.
• We will respect your right to be yourself and, at the same time, help you to understand the rights of others.
• We will encourage you always to search for the truth.
• We will give you the opportunity to develop your own understanding of life and a respect for all living beings

Norah’s grandparents are also people that will have much influence over her during her childhood and beyond. John, Sue, Mary and Tom are here today to offer their very own brand of support.

Grandparents, please read your pledge to your granddaughter

• We will recognize your worth as a person, and help you to strengthen your sense of belonging to the human family.
• We will give you our love so that you may grow with trust in yourself and in other people.
• We will respect your right to be yourself and, at the same time, help you to understand the rights of others.
• We will encourage you always to search for the truth.
• We will give you the opportunity to develop your own understanding of life and a respect for all living beings


We give the child a name in this ceremony and by doing so we declare that she is an individual, a unique and a separate person with a dignity and a life of her own. In giving her a name we declare that we will respect her and give her the freedom to be herself. We have a public ceremony to declare that all of us are responsible for the care and development of all children. It is our task to give them our ideals and our hopes. It is our task to give them a world of peace and justice in which to grow. By presenting the child to this gathering Tom and Kate acknowledge that she is more than a private possession, but is a new being in whom we all have a responsibility and whom we all welcome into this community.

What is the name of this child?

Parents say the name together. Then the child is passed to each person in the circle who says a few words


QUESTION TO THE GATHERING
Will you all give her a hearty welcome and will you accept the privilege and the responsibility of nurturing the freedom and spirit of this child?

We use a flower to remind us of the beauty and freshness of life. We dedicate ourselves to the task of nourishing the beauty and freshness of this child and of all children.

Parents and grandparents plant rose bush

For the gift of childhood whose innocence and laughter keep the world young, we give thanks. May this new life which we have accepted into our midst receive the gifts of health, love and wisdom and in turn give back to the common heritage which has nurtured her.

Check out the pictures:
http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=465281180366029039/l=267184658/g=1135445/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB