Baptism, a holy sacrament, is a sacred Christian rite in which it is believed God's saving grace is uniquely active.  St. Augustine defined a sacrament as a "visible sign of an invisible reality."  
Like most other Protestant denominations, United Methodists recognize only those sacraments in which Jesus Christ Himself participated - Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion)
We practice Baptism as a symbol of Gods' forgiveness and a sign of regeneration or new birth.  The vows made by an infant's or child's parents at baptism are later assumed by the child when old enough to appreciate them, usually at the time of Confirmation (when a person joins the church as a full member).  Adults make these vows for themselves at baptism.  Baptism is administered through one of three ways, sprinkling, pouring or immersion.