Baptisms
To request baptism for your child
Baptism at St Mary's
Baptism - an introduction
In Baptism, God declares to the newly baptised: “This child is a child of mine.”
To bring a baby to be baptised is one of the most powerful and joyful things any parent can do. It is a way of celebrating the safe birth of your child and also an opportunity to give thanks to God for the gift you have been given. But it is also a way of saying (publicly) that however much the child belongs to you, he or she does not just belong to you. In a profound sense, your child is ‘bigger' than you and belongs to that which is outside you - God himself.
Baptism allows you to give expression to this feeling and that is why baptism marks the beginning of the life of faith – the decision to try and follow the way of God as shown us in the person of Jesus. The promises and commitment required of the newly baptised are substantial. Hence, in the earliest days of the Church, baptism tended to be reserved for adults only.
Nowadays, although the promises are much the same, it is much more common for people to be baptised when they are infants. That is why a lot depends not just on the parents and godparents of the child in question, but also on the prayers and support of the congregation of the church where the child is being baptised.
Every effort is made, in all our churches, to live up to these responsibilities.
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Team Rector
To request baptism for your child
To request baptism for your child, or to request further information, please contact:
Susannah Reide or Andrew Studdert-Kennedy or the Team Office
Baptism at St Mary's
At St Mary's, baptisms take place regularly throughout the year, usually in the main Sunday service at 10 am. In order to prepare you for the baptism of your child, we ask you to attend a short course of baptism preparation, hosted by someone from our church. We will also ask you to come to a 10 am service before the baptism day. In this service we will pray for your family and the commitment that you are making to bring up your child as a Christian. Details of the pattern of preparation are given below.
Baptism preparation
Week 1 First Session 7.30-8.45pm
Week 2 Second session 7.30- 8.45pm
Week 3 Sunday Church experience of a Baptism service
Week 4 Third session
Week 5 Sunday Church (Welcome of Those preparing for the baptism of Children)
Week 8 Baptism
Everyone involved has responsibilities.
Parent/s
It is you who have brought your child for baptism who will carry the greatest responsibility for bringing up your child within the Christian faith. This includes praying for them, reading the Bible with them and accompanying them to church where they can join in with the rest of the family of the church in worship and learning about their faith.
Godparents
Their role is important too, and they make the same promises as the parents. It is best if godparents are worshipping members of a church so that they can offer support and encouragement to their new godchild as that child grows up.
The Church
The worshipping family of the church also has responsibilities – to encourage the newly baptised and their parents so that they feel not only welcome, but also expected. The Junior Church, which meets during the 10.00 am Sunday morning service, and the crèche are an important part of this process.
Responsibilities and rewards
If the responsibilities are great, so too are the ‘rewards' and these words, spoken at the baptism service, give an indication of what they might be.
Today God has touched you with his love
and given you a place among his people.
God promises to be with you in joy and in sorrow,
to be your guide in life and to bring you safely to heaven.
In baptism God invites you on a life-long journey.
Together with all God's people
you must explore the way of Jesus
and grow in friendship with God. . . .
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