The Parish offers an open policy to baptising infants. This means that we welcome any child whose parents wish is for them to be baptised into the Christian faith, to have a service of baptism.
During the service parents and godparents make vows on behalf of their children, which include promising to bring them up in the Christian faith.
Baptism Service
We offer two options for Baptism; either as part of the Parish Eucharist or a shorter, dedicated Baptism service at outside of the Parish Eucharist. If you opt to have the Baptism during the Parish Eucharist, your child can be welcomed into the family of the Church as an integral part of the service. In turn the Church family will promise to support and pray for you and your child. If however you decide to have the shorter service, we ask that parents and child return the following Sunday to join in the Parish Eucharist in order to be introduced and welcomed into the Church family into which they have been baptised.
What Happens During a Baptism Service?
At a Baptism Service parents and godparents stand before God and the local congregation to declare their own faith in Christ. They make vows on behalf of the child, which include promising to bring him or her up in the Christian faith. These are serious and solemn promises and consequently, you should choose your child’s godparents with careful thought and prayer. They should be committed Christians, as their role is to assist in the nurture and encouragement of your child as he or she grows up in the Christian faith. They are also there to help you as parents to prepare your child, so that in time, they can make the decision to follow Christ for themselves, and come to Confirmation, when they make those vows for themselves.
Because baptism is an important sign of Christian commitment, we ask parents to meet with a member of the Clergy beforehand to prepare. This is an important opportunity for parents to learn more about the Christian faith and the purpose of baptism.
At a Baptism service (sometimes referred to as a Christening) friends or family are often asked to be godparents, and they, together with the parents make promises of personal commitment to Jesus Christ on the child’s behalf.
What next?
Please contact the parish office and we will be in touch and make an appointment to see you.
Confirmation
Confirmation marks the point in the Christian journey at which you affirm for yourself the faith into which you have been baptised and your intention to live a life of committed discipleship. This affirmation is confirmed through prayer and the laying on of hands by the confirming Bishop. The Church also asks God to give you power through the Holy Spirit to enable you to live in the way of Jesus.
Each year candidates prepare for confirmation by attending a series of classes offered by the clergy. These classes cover a wide variety of topics including prayer, the Eucharist and other Sacraments of the Church, Church history, spirituality and spiritual direction, doctrine including gaining a personal understanding of the Creed, and other areas as raised by the group. We try to make these classes informal allowing space for honest questions to be voiced, thereby empowering confirmation candidates to seek and source personal depth and integrity in their ongoing faith journey.
If you would like to find out more about what happens during a confirmation service you may visit the Church of England website or if you would like to talk to someone about confirmation please get in touch