Baptisms and Thanksgivings
We offer two services: a service of thanksgiving for (and naming of) a child and a service of baptism.
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The baptism service is for people who are committed Christians and who wish (for their child) to belong to the church and be fully involved in the life of the church. In this service you make specific declarations about regular church attendance, your own faith in Jesus Christ and about your way of life.
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We therefore take baptism and the promises that are made very seriously. We would expect people to have been regularly worshipping with us for at least three months before agreeing a date for baptism. We would also want to spend time with you, explaining the meaning and significance of baptism. This will usually mean that we invite you to attend a four week 'Introducing Jesus' course.
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For the baptism of a child, it is usual to have three godparents (for a boy: 2 men and 1 woman; for a girl: 2 women and 1 man). It is important that at least one of the parents has been baptised and regularly comes to church, and that the godparents have been baptised and are committed to bringing up the child in the Christian faith.
The baptism service usually takes place in one of our main Sunday services.
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The thanksgiving service is for people who wish to do one or more of the following:
to say thank you to God for their child
to name their child in the presence of God
to ask God's blessing on their child
to ask God’s help in bringing up their child
to celebrate the gift of their child
to celebrate the gift of their child
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The thanksgiving service can made as personal as you wish. Sometimes one of the family speaks about the child, and favourite music is played. You do not need to be a regular churchgoer, nor do you have to make any promises or declaration of faith in this service. Baptism can then follow when people become more certain of their own faith, or when the child grows older and requests it for themselves.
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The service of thanksgiving usually takes place at a time when it is convenient for the family. It can also take place in one of our main services.
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It is possible to have "godparents” or “sponsors” or “special friends” for this service. The godparents do not need to have been baptised, and there is no limitation on numbers.
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There is no charge for either service if they take place in one of our main Sunday services. If the service is at some other time, there is a basic charge of £30 for either a baptism or thanksgiving service. There may be additional costs if a verger, PA person or organist/musician is required. r
Please contact the parish office for more details (01284 754680).