Baptism or Christening

If you make an enquiry about a baby’s baptism (sometimes called christening) you will be met with a friendly welcome.  If your child is a new baby then we enjoy having you come for a Thanksgiving.  How lovely to say ‘thank you’ to God for your precious new baby.  This is a short five minute slot in a Sunday service where we say some prayers, pray for you and ask God to bless your baby. 

Heavenly Father, we praise you for Jack’s birth;

Surround him with your blessing

That he may know your love, be protected from evil,

And know your goodness all his days.

We give you a gospel saying, ‘Take it as your guide.’   What a lovely way for you all to begin your new family life together.

After this we can meet to discuss baptism and its meaning.  It marks the beginning of your child’s Christian life and membership of the body of Christ, the church, and so we like to include baptism in our main Suday morning service. 

At the beginning of the church some 2000 years ago, it was adults and their children putting their faith in Jesus who were baptised together.  That is still sometimes the case today. 

We also baptise babies (and adults) at the font and ask their parents to speak for them.  Parents make promises to walk in the way of Christ with their children and to help them take their place within the life and worship of his church.  Some of this may sound new, so we like to meet parents at home and discuss all this so they feel prepared.

Jesus loves children and so do we, his church.  We try to have lots at church for children: Sunday School, informal services and Tuesday Tots.  Never please feel afraid or stressed about coming with screaming babies.............many of us have been there!  We do have some crèche toys and some play areas.

We believe that God loves people very much.  So, bringing children up to love and follow Jesus Christ is surely the very best for them.  

With parents and godparents holding a candle and the child’s new first Bible, the service concludes with a lovely warm welcome:

 We welcome you into the fellowship of faith;

We are children of the same heavenly Father;

We welcome you.

(Material is © Common Worship the Archbishop’s Council 2000)

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