Weddings
“Going to the chapel and we’re – gonna get married.” Or so The Dixie Cups sang in 1964. Most of us, when we “get engaged”, begin thinking about our “big day”. Although marriage is a secular institution (it is the state that grants marriage licenses), it is also a sacred one: we hold services in church to have our unions blessed by God. The Congregational Church of Canton is a great place to hold your nuptial celebration.
Our pastor works carefully with couples to construct memorable services. He purposely makes it personal. Your guests will depart for the reception feeling as if they were participants, not just witnesses; they will feel as if they were invited into this sacred moment in your life, not that they were watching the same old same old or a romantic movie.
We have both a sanctuary for traditional services and a chapel for less formal, smaller celebrations. We also have an organist and soloists to augment your ceremony.
If we can be of further service to you as you plan your wedding, please contact our pastor, Dr. John Tamilio III, at pastor@cc-cantonma.org, or call the office at (781) 828-2131.
Baptisms
We believe that Baptism is the way in which individuals become part of the body of Christ — the Church Universal. The Church Universal is the Ecumenical Church: all Christian congregations and denominations that, although divided, are united in Christ. This is one of the reasons why baptism is considered the universal sacrament — the ordinance recognized by almost all churches.
At the Congregational Church of Canton, we baptize infants and children as well as adults. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go forth and “baptize all nations.” He did not just say adults. “All” is all-encompassing: an act of extravagant welcome, which lies at the heart of Jesus’ message of reconciliation.
Baptisms are performed during Sunday worship services, because vows are made not just by the baptized (or their parents), but by the congregation as well. We promise to love, support, and care for the one baptized. The one baptized promises to grow in the Christian faith. (If an infant is baptized, the parents promise to raise the child in the Christian faith.) Such growth required a community effort. We grow in the faith together. Furthermore, every baptism reminds those in attendance of their own baptism and our unity with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
If you would like to be baptized, or would like to have your child baptized, please contact our pastor, Dr. John Tamilio III pastor@cc-cantonma.org.
Funerals
Planning a funeral can be one of those most confusing and difficult times in life. It seems as if the moment a loved one dies, there is hardly any time to grieve. Our culture has us plunge headlong into the planning: contacting a funeral home, planning a service, ordering flowers, putting together a reception, and so forth. This can seem like an insurmountable task, but it does not have to be.
Canton has phenomenal funeral homes — and our church is open to all people seeking spiritual care. Our pastor can provide an array of services to fit your needs. We have an organist and soloists to augment the service. Our sanctuary holds 270 people and a chapel that holds about 50 attendees for smaller services. We also have a large fellowship hall if you wish to have a collation afterwards. Our pastor ensures that the services are sacred and personal, celebrating the life of the deceased while offering prayer-filled comfort to family and friends.
If you would like to speak to Dr. John about a funeral, memorial service, and/or committal, then please contact him directly at either his e-mail address (pastor@cc-cantonma.org) or via cell phone: (913) 909-6591.