Baptisms

Baptism is a symbol of belonging to the church family.

We hold baptism services as part of our regular Sunday morning worship. Adults and children are baptised after they (or their parents), have completed a short course to help them understand the importance of this ceremony.

What is Baptism?
Many people will think about coming to church when they have had a new baby, for a service which is often referred to as a Christening. In fact the service is called Baptism, and it applies to a person of any age.

By being baptised, a person says that they believe in God and want to live their lives as followers of Jesus Christ. They make promises about this, and the church promises to support the family, and help them to learn more about the Christian faith. When a young child is baptised, the promises are made by the parents and Godparents, on behalf of the child. The parents are expected to keep the promises until the child is old enough to understand for themselves.

Baptism is a two-way thing. God gives us his blessing, and we commit ourselves to be members of his church.

How do I or my child get Baptised?
First of all you should contact the minister, who will then arrange to visit your family at your home.

Because these are such important promises, we want to make sure that people have time to understand what they are doing, and to ask questions. We use a very popular short course called Start. This runs for 6 evenings, usually in the home of one of our church members. As well as exploring the Christian faith, this course allows you to meet other families who are also preparing for baptism.

For young children, we hold a service of Thanksgiving. This is a simple act of prayer and blessing, and can be arranged quite soon after your initial enquiry.

Can I (or my child) be Baptised at another church?
Because baptism is about joining your local church, it is best to have an initial talk with your local minister. In some cases, it is possible to have a baptism at another church - for instance where your family are regular members. If you want to have a baptism outside the Parish where you live, you will need the permission of your local parish minister.