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  • Emma W.M
    • Mar 24, 2021
    • 3 min read

Seattle Temple, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Set to Re-Open its Baptistry

The Seattle Temple, located in Bellevue, WA, is transitioning into a new limited operations phase. This Precautionary Covid-19 measure will now welcome limited pre-scheduled groups of church members to engage in Temple baptistery efforts.

 

3/24/2021 | Written by: Emma White

 


Starting on March 29th, 2021, the Seattle Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will ease certain COVID-19 restrictions and reopen the baptistery on a limited basis.


On March 17th, The Church announced that 13 of their 168 Temples could now expand their services into what is called "Phase 2-B." One of these 13 locations is the Seattle Temple, located in Bellevue, WA. This limited operations phase allows for these locations to start welcoming limited pre-scheduled groups of church members to engage in Temple baptistery efforts.







“We look forward to this phase and every phase of temple reopening with great anticipation,” said Elder Bednar, who leads the Church’s Temple and Family History Council. “We also want to be sure that we continue to open temples in a careful, responsible way. For this reason, temple openings in some areas may continue to lag behind the opening of public or community facilities.”

While entrance into the Temple building is strictly limited to verified church members, the beautifully landscaped grounds of the Temple are open to the greater public to enjoy. Click the video below to get a look at the Seattle Temple on a lovely spring day!





What is a Temple?


A Temple is a holy place dedicated to the Lord, Jesus Christ. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a Temple is often referred to as the "House of the Lord". The building is the same in its purpose and symbolic layout as the ancient temples of the Israelites and Jews. Sacred ordinances are carried out to help continue the Lord's work in spreading the gospel to all and to ensure that family bonds are tied together for time and all eternity. All past, present, and future generations of all families being saved through Christ's love, atonement, and gospel covenant is the purpose of both the Church and its Temples.



A Temple is different from a standard church meetinghouse. Every Sunday, church members gather together in meetinghouses to celebrate the sabbath day and partake of the sacrament. Some meetinghouses even have a baptismal font for new members of the Church to be baptized.


Temple Baptistry: Importance of Baptism-by-Proxy


Temple baptisteries serve a sacred practice called baptism-by-proxy, which is what happens when volunteers are baptized as representatives of those who have passed on. This is done out of reverence for ancestors. It offers the choice of accepting a physical baptism to the spirits of those who may never have learned of Christ's saving power in their time on Earth.

Due to the sacredness of the ordinance, and the sanctity of preserving the free will of those dearly departed, baptisms-by-proxy are offered only in a Temple setting by those who are worthy to enter the Temple.


“We are thrilled at the ability to provide these sacred ordinances to our deceased ancestors again, and for members of the Church to again worship in the house of the Lord.” -Elder David A. Bednar

If you would like to learn more, check out: TheChurchofJesusChrist.org

 

*Neither the article author nor her portfolio website are in any way sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There is no professional affiliation between the two parties, nor is Emma a spokesperson for the religious organization. She is, however, a member of The Church and the views expressed, unless otherwise attributed, about church and gospel practices are of her own understanding and experience.*

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