Baptism and Thanksgiving -
Babies change lives! They can bring great joy and a fair bit of tiredness. The birth of a new child is always to be celebrated. With this precious life in your arms, it is also an important time to think through big questions of life, God, death, heaven and hell.
We would like to help you to thank God for your child and give you the opportunity to think about these big questions. Here is the journey we invite you on:
Why this journey?
1. Thanksgiving Service: Every child is a precious gift from God
In this service we thank God for the gift of your child and celebrate the name you have given them. We pray for you and the child as you begin this next stage of life together. You have family and friends join you.
2. Baptism: You promise to bring up your child as a follower of Jesus
Baptism is a much more serious undertaking. You are declaring your own commitment to follow Jesus, claiming God's promises for your children and making some wonderful and very big promises on your child's behalf. It is very important that you yourself are committed to following Jesus, are willing publicly to declare your own faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and are committed to bringing your child to church every week. We want to help you take that step with integrity and conviction.
Not sure?
If you are not sure, do join us on a Sunday (10:30am or 6:30pm), get to know us, and ask us any questions.
What next?
If you would like to enquire about setting out on this journey, get in contact with us through this form:
Please be aware we won’t be able to confirm a date for the thanksgiving until we have met you.
More information:
Some common questions about thanksgiving and baptism:
1. In a thanksgiving can I still have God-parents?
If you would like, you can have supporting friends. Some people (who have often decided just to stick with the thanksgiving because they don't want to commit to certain beliefs) choose to call these supporting friends "God-parents" . Unlike in a baptism, these supporting friends don't have to be followers of Jesus, nor do they have to have been baptised.
2. In a thanksgiving, will my child get wet?
A thanksgiving does not use any water, because this is reserved for baptism. However, the minister will hold your child (with your permission) and pray for God's blessing on them and on you.
3. When do you normally do thanksgivings?
These are held during our normal Sunday services, usually in our All Age Service on the first Sunday of the month or in our "Sundays in Summer" services over the summer.
4. When will we book a date?
We will confirm a date with you as soon as possible after we have met with you. This will be a date that is convenient for you and for the church.
5. Can I have both a thanksgiving and a baptism for my child?
Yes, having a thanksgiving does not prevent a baptism later on when you are ready to declare your own faith and commitment to follow Jesus.
6. If my child is not baptised, will they not go to heaven?
This might sound blunt, but baptism is not a ticket to heaven or an eternal insurance policy.
God is far greater and more wonderful than that:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [that's Jesus] so that whoever believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
That's in John's gospel, chapter 3, verse 16.
Jesus also says
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me
That's in John's gospel, chapter 14, verse 7.
Jesus is God's gift to you. With Jesus you get a relationship with God now, and an eternity in his presence.
Baptism is meant to be the outward sign of this new identity and new life. They are meant to go together.
But they often (and wrongly) get separated. So, you can be trusting in Jesus and not baptised. In which case we would encouraged you to get baptised as the outward sign of what God has done for you in Jesus.
Or can have been baptised but not trusting in Jesus. In which case we strongly recommend turning to Jesus
before you meet him. Click
here for more info.
Do speak to the vicar or come and see us on a Sunday to find out more.
7. If my child is not baptised does that mean they can't get married in church?
There is no legal requirement that you are baptised before marrying in church. In fact you don't even need to believe in God to get married in church, though of course it helps!
8. If my child is not baptised can they still have a church funeral later in life?
There is no requirement to be baptised
to have a church funeral. And if your
parish church has a graveyard (we don't), and still has space (lots don't), the only requirement to be buried there is that you are either a parishioner, live in the parish, die in the parish or are on the electoral roll of the parish.