Christenings

Congratulations on the birth of your child. We are delighted you want to have your child baptised. This is a very major step in your child’s life and involves you in a new act of commitment to the Christian life.

When do baptisms take place?

Procedure for booking baptisms varies slightly from church to church. Contact the church using the details below:

What does it cost?

Nothing

What are our duties as parents and godparents?

In the baptism service you speak for your children and promise to help them grow up within the church as a Christian.

For children to grow in the Christian faith they depend chiefly on you for the help and encouragement they need. You can do this by reading Bible stories to them, praying with them at home, and bringing them to church regularly. You will be asked publicly during the service to promise to do this.

Who should be godparents?

As a parent or godparent ask yourself:

  • Are you prepared to the best of your ability to give the child a Christian upbringing? Will you help the child to be regular in public worship and in prayer, not only by your teaching but also by your example and your prayers?
  • Will you encourage the child when they are older to be Confirmed and come to Communion?
  • It is usual to have three godparents, two of the same sex as the child and one of the opposite sex; but to have one godfather and one godmother is enough.
  • Parents may be godparents to their own children provided the child has at least one other godparent.
  • Church law requires that the godparents be baptised and confirmed, but he requirement of confirmation can be relaxed in certain cases.
  • The best person is a committed Christian (they don’t have to be Church of England) who will give a special insight into the growth of your child and have a special relationship with her.
  • Has the baby changed your life?

When a baby is born it is a time for families to consider for themselves what values and practices are important to live by. It is also a time to grasp that we share with God in creation and for working out your response to this amazing gift of a child.
We’d love to help you with your own spiritual journeys.

A next step might be to consider confirmation for yourself. Confirmation involves a course of preparation with other adults and a service in which you celebrate your faith with the whole church. Please ask for details.