Baptism invitations are usually sent out for infant baptisms. Infant baptism is a Christian religious procedure for newborns or even young children. Invitations are rarely sent out for the contrasting practice, believer’s baptism, because the event will usually take place in a family church with the presence and knowledge of existing churchgoers and friends. Oftentimes, for very young children, the invitations go out to relatives. Infant baptisms are common in most Orthodox churches, the Reformed Church in America, the Church of the Nazarene, the United Church of Christ, and by Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, and the Roman Catholic Church. Ironically, Baptists do not usually practice infant baptism. Pentecostals, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Latter-day Saints don’t practice it either. You can be assured, if you’re the recipient of an invitation, that the sender is not affiliated with any of the aforementioned offshoots of Christianity.

What is baptism and why are invitations issued for the ceremonial procedure?