Baby Dedication Ideas: Scriptures & Party Ideas (Baptism, Too!)
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We dedicated our baby girl at our church a few months back, and it was so important to me to put together an event for our family.
So, I searched everywhere for baby dedication ideas and also compiled a long list of baby dedication Bible verses to prepare my husband and me to commit her to the Lord.
With some brainstorming, Pinterest researching about baby dedication celebration ideas, and browsing around stores, here is what I came up with for her baby dedication party!
Hopefully, you can find some ideas of your own here to help if you are planning a baby dedication reception too!
What is a Baby Dedication?
In our church, baby dedication is a time when parents and family members of a child go before the congregation and commit to raising the child according to God’s Word and His way; essentially, dedicating the baby and his or her life to the Lord.
The ceremony takes place during the church service, and after parents commit to raising their children in the Word, the congregation also agrees to raise the child in such a way and hold the parents accountable and encourage them.
We’ve now prayerfully committed to raising our daughter in a godly way until she is old enough to decide to follow God on her own.
We’ve also promised to pray for her salvation, teach the Word to her, and demonstrate godliness to the best of our earthly abilities while she grows.
Our Christian baby dedication ceremony during church took less than 10 minutes at the beginning of the service, but it was still meaningful!
A Biblical Example of Baby Dedication
1 Samuel 1, which contains the story of barren Hannah is a biblical example of baby dedication:
“And [Hannah] made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.'” (1 Samuel 1:11)
God faithfully answered her prayer with a son, Samuel.
Hannah then gives Samuel to the Lord:
“And she said to him, ‘Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.’” (1 Samuel 1:26-28)
Baby Dedication Party Ideas (Baptism, too!)
While our church specifically dedicates babies and then later baptizes them when they make the decision to follow Christ, these party ideas can also double as baby baptism party ideas for those who baptize as infants with sprinkling rather than immersion.
With that said, let’s get started with all the details of our baby dedication party!
Our Menu
This was all prepared the night before so it would most immediately be ready for the party right after church:
- Ham and Cheese Sandwich Rolls—croissants, ham, cheese, and spread all wrapped in aluminum foil the night before, then popped into the oven right after church! Everyone was able to snack on the other goodies while these were heating up.
- Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups: super tasty and made ahead
- Chips: baked and unbaked varieties
- Potato Salad
- Watermelon—easy fruit to prepare and cheap for a large crowd in the summer
- Water with fruit—we LOVE having an awesome glass beverage dispenser at all our gatherings. This time we did just regular lemon water, but in the past, we’d do mint and lime, orange, or even berry concoctions for parties!
And, check out my cool labels (made from chalkboard stickers on scrapbook paper)!
Baby Dedication Cake Idea
I made a cross cake for the baby dedication, inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest.
Since I could never find a tutorial for that cake, I spent several hours and ate way too many trial cupcakes with so many different types of frosting to figure out what worked best.
I ended up using 28 cupcakes made from a white box cake mix and frosting with this whipped cream cream cheese frosting. It worked great!
I used a 1M Wilton tip to get this appearance.
For my first-ever icing experience not involving a knife, I was pretty proud of myself!
Here’s the tutorial I used to learn how to pipe–easy and simple for this novice decorator to follow.
Guest Book Idea: Sign a Bible for Baby
I’ve been enjoying the Bible journaling and decorating trend, so we bought her a journaling Bible for the future.
There was also room in the margins for everyone to write notes to her if they wanted.
I love the Beautiful Word Bibles by Zondervan. Here’s the one I bought, but I love this other option too. (Update: my second daughter got the second one!)
There are lots of great illustrated verses in the Bible, and I just love it!
Above is the picture of the table we set up, including instructions for guests to pick their favorite baby dedication scriptures. This idea came from this wedding website, where guests signed a Bible for a happy couple on their wedding day.
Baby girl still has great-grandparents alive, so we definitely wanted to capture their thoughts for her before they pass away.
When she has trials in life or doubts her faith, I think it will be so amazing for her to be encouraged by her family, knowing they will always be praying for her.
We love Deuteronomy 4:9, which commands us to teach our children of our experiences since we have gone before them with our walk of faith.
We also really like Psalm 78:4. This is also a reminder of the importance of telling our children about our walk with Christ.
Lastly, it was just too cute what one of her great-grandmothers wrote in the margins.
Bible Verses for Baby Dedication
For the people in our family who weren’t super Bible-knowledgeable but still wanted to participate, here’s the list of our favorite baby dedication scriptures or life verses we provided to give them more ideas.
1. Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
2. 1 Samuel 1:27-28 “I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.”
3. Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
4. Psalm 127:3-4 “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.”
5. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
6. Peter 3:3-4 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
7. Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
8. Luke 18:16-17 “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’”
9. 2 Timothy 3:15 “And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
10. Psalm 46:10 “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’”
11. Jeremiah 29:11 “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
12. Colossians 1:9 “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.”
13. John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Dedication Party Favors
I also made little Bibles out of Hershey’s Nuggets with one of our favorite dedication verses (Psalm 127:3).
I followed a tutorial on Shower of Roses blog, which was for Valentine’s Day-themed Bibles.
We splayed the candies around the table with the Bible for guests to pick up after signing the Bible.
And there we have it!
Baby girl’s dedication party–complete with food, activities, and baby dedication scriptures.
Any other baby dedication ideas you want to share? I want to keep them in mind for future dedication celebrations when our family expands.
Updates: Baby girl turned one later this year, so also check out her princess-themed first birthday! And, baby girl #2 just had her dedication. Check out her baby dedication party ideas here!