A celebration in signs
Water, light (the candle), white garment, anointing: baptism speaks through its gestures. The music underlines these signs rather than commenting on them.
The hymns to plan for
Welcome
A joyful hymn to welcome the child (or the adult) and their family.
After the baptism: the light
At the moment the candle is lit, a luminous hymn: "You have become light…". This is the emotional high point.
Marian hymn / sending forth
Often a hymn to Mary, then a simple recessional.
Thinking of the congregation
- Baptism guests do not sing much: one or two very accessible refrains are enough.
- Briefly rehearse the main refrain before you begin.
- A soloist or a small choir carries the rest: the congregation joins in without pressure.
A reminder: only distribute scores or lyrics for works in the public domain, your own compositions, or works for which you hold the proper permissions.