Baptism & Thanksgiving
Baptism
A Baptism (also known as a Christening) is a great occasion for celebration! For those who are baptised as babies, it’s the first of life’s great milestones, but more than that it’s a chance to pray for God’s blessing as a child becomes a member of his family, the Church. God’s call is for everyone, though, and there is no age limit for Baptism. Anyone who is exploring the new life which Christ brings and who has not yet been baptised is welcome to explore taking the plunge with St John’s!
Responsibilities of Parents:
In a Baptism service parents, along with Godparents promise to bring their child up within the church family, so it’s important to make a connection with the congregation at St John’s as the big day approaches. With this in mind, we ask you to attend public worship at St John’s for a minimum of 4 Sundays in the weeks leading up to your child's Baptism. We realise that this may sound a bit daunting, but our services at St John’s are not dull or dusty, and give you a chance to connect with other children and families within the life of the church.
Baptism involves some demanding promises, so it’s important to be spiritually ready for the service when it comes. A Baptism meeting with a member of the clergy will provide you with space to think through the importance of the words in the service and the meaning of the symbols used.
The Baptism Service:
Baptisms always take place on a Sunday, though there are two options for the time and setting. The first is for it to be integrated into one of our 10:30am services. The sense of “welcome” into God’s family will be strongest here among our regular congregation. Another option is to have a separate Baptism service at 12:30, after our main service. If you have had the Baptism outside of our main service, we invite you the following week to our service so we can welcome you into the church family.
Thanksgiving
As an alternative to Baptism, we can also conduct a ‘service of 'Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child’. There are a number of reasons why parents choose to have a Thanksgiving rather than a Baptism. For some, it is a matter of leaving the decision to be baptised for the child to make later in life. Others find that the promises they are asked to make at the Baptism service are not appropriate for where they are on their own spiritual journey. Whatever the reason the Thanksgiving services offer a first-class alternative which allows a family to celebrate the birth of a child, to thank God for that child, and to pray for God’s blessing on their life ahead.
Responsibilities of Parents:
In the Thanksgiving service, parents are asked whether they receive the child as a gift from God and whether they wish to seek God's blessing. They also have the option to name the child formally if they wish.
Responsibilities of Godparents:
The role of Godparents is to help parents bring up the child in the life of the church and to set a Christian example through the life they lead. Being asked to be a Godparent is not only a compliment and a privilege but also a responsibility. You can have as many Godparents as you like. They are asked to promise that they will do all that they can to support you in the upbringing of your child.
What's Next?
If you would like to explore the possibility of a service for your child, the first thing to do is to come to church on a Sunday if you haven't already.
If you’d like to discuss Baptism for you or your child either phone our church office or speak to us after a Sunday service. We’ll ask you to complete an initial form, arrange to meet you to discuss the process of preparation and arrange a suitable date.
Baptism is only the very start of a journey of faith which we hope and pray will last your child’s whole lifetime. St John’s is pleased to be able to offer lots of opportunities for your family to join in the life and worship of the church as your children grow up!