baptism

We are pleased to be able to share your or your child’s baptism with you. We have found that people celebrating baptism at our churches enjoy the service. We hope that your child’s baptism will be a wonderful and memorable occasion and that it will mark the beginning of a long and happy association with our church. This information will help you with some of the questions which surround baptism or Christening (Christian-making) as some prefer to call it.

We welcome children to all our services and provide a crèche with toys and encourage parents to walk in and out during the service. It is our sincere belief that there is no better thing that you can give to a child than the opportunity to learn about God and his love for them. Sometimes a baptism can remind us of how much we have let our own Christian life slip. It can be an opportunity to affirm our trust in God and to make a fresh start.

We hope that the welcome you receive will encourage you to feel a part of our church. Details of all our Services can be found on the Services page. The first point of call regarding a baptism is the Parish Administrator whose details can be found on the contact us page.

Adult Baptism
Whilst many people are baptised as children, we often baptise adults (if you haven’t been baptised as a child) and you will find the general information on this page useful to you.

Will you Baptise (Christen) our child?
This is a question which we are often asked and the answer is YES! We look forward to welcoming you and your family to celebrate this important occasion. With you we will thank God for the birth of your child and welcome a new member into the Christian family of the Church.

What is Baptism?
When Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan he became aware of God as his Father and felt the special presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, it was a turning point in his life. After his death and resurrection Jesus commanded his followers to make new disciples and baptise them too. This has been done ever since by Christians throughout the world.

Why do we baptise babies?
Most parents feel a need to say ‘thank you’ to someone for the wonderful gift of their child, that ‘someone’ is of course the God who gives life to us all. Jesus told his disciples to baptise people who wanted to become Christians and join the church. The Bible tells us that whole households were being baptised and of course soon parents wanted their children to be baptised too. Baptism is not like an insurance policy which you take out to make sure that your baby goes to heaven, God loves your child just as much now as after the baptism service. However it does make sense to give your child the very best start in life and what could be better than to encourage them from the very earliest days to be open to God and to know of His love for them.

In the baptism service we also pray that one day they will want as adults to stand up for themselves to confirm the baptism vows which have been made on their behalf: this is called Confirmation.

When will the baptism take place?
Baptisms take place in the main Sunday Morning Service on the third Sunday of the month. They are part of the main church Service that day so that your child can be welcomed by the congregation.

Is there any kind of preparation?
Yes, you will be asked to attend two baptism preparation sessions on a Saturday morning (other times by arrangement) during which we can explore the vows and declarations you are making for yourself and on behalf of your child.

The Promises
The parents and godparents will be asked to stand up and declare their own Christian faith. It is important to make sure that you can make these promises and only you can truthfully know that. If you have any difficulty we will discuss the promises with you during baptism preparation. If you feel unable to say these things then perhaps you would prefer a Service of Thanksgiving for the child. The choice is yours but a baptism is a very important occasion and not to be undertaken lightly.

Godparents
You will need to consider who you will ask to be godparents. Being asked to be a godparent is always a real privilege and shows that you have a special place in the family, but there are expectations and responsibilities too. You are asked to promise that you will love and encourage the child in the Christian faith by prayer, example and teaching. Parents should not feel pressurised to choose the wrong people but try to find people who can make the promises and mean them. The number of godparents can vary but usually three are chosen.

Fonts
Because Baptism is a sign of entering the Church the font which held the water was once nearly always situated at the main door of the church. Today we have a movable font and we place it at the front of the church. It is easier for everyone to see!

Cost
There is no charge for a baptism Service. In all of our services an offering is taken at which we have an opportunity to give to the work of the church if people wish.

To enquire about Baptism please Contact the Church Office