Baptisms and
thanksgivings
We offer baptism and services of thanksgiving for babies and infants. Your family and friends will be warmly welcomed to join you as you ask for God's blessing on your child.
We have also baptised older children and adults by total immersion using a borrowed mobile baptistry for people who wanted to take this important step in their faith life a little later on.
Thanking God for your baby
We are so glad you have decided to ask for God's blessing on your child.
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A child is a wonderful gift from God and it's right that we want to celebrate such a fantastic present.
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The Church of England offers two approaches - thanksgiving and baptism. Both are ways of celebrating the life of your child with the support of close friends. Both offer the opportunity for a family celebration. The main difference is in the extent and depth of Christian commitment that each form of service expresses.
What is a Thanksgiving?
"Thanksgiving and blessing for the gift of a child" is a celebration to mark the birth and naming of your child. We give thanks for your child's new life, and commit both you and the child to God, asking for His help and blessing in the years to come.
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It is the sort of service that almost anyone who believes in God can stand up and take part in, even if they are not sure what else they believe. It's a way in which parents can express their gratitude for the birth of the child, and receive God's blessing on them and the child. The church members present welcome your family and pray for you. Thanksgivings take place in the main church service or, for a small fee, at a time and location of your choice.
What is a Baptism?
For parents who bring children to be baptized, the service involves making promises before God and the congregation to be a wholehearted disciple of Jesus Christ – and to show evidence of that commitment by being part of the church community.
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A baptism is also a celebration, often with lots of friends and relatives, but rather more is involved. You and godparents make very solemn promises before God which are effectively a public declaration of basic Christian belief. Because of the promises the parents and Godparents make, we will visit you and go through the promises before the service and we ask that the family comes to the church service three or four times before the baptism so that they get to know the church community.
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Baptisms are always held in the main church service.
How do I proceed ?
Please contact us by email and we will be in touch as soon as possible to talk through which service is right for you.