Baptisms
Baptism is sometimes called a christening. It is a visible sign of God’s love for us. It marks a new start: a decision to follow Jesus Christ within the family of the Church.
Whether you are thinking about being baptised yourself, or bringing a child to be baptised, we’d love to talk to you. As it is about being part of a church community we encourage you to come along to some of the services.
Infants
For infants, baptism is the start of your child’s exciting journey in the Christian faith and we are here to help you as you prepare for this important step and for the commitments you will be asked to make on behalf of your child.
For some parents, a thanksgiving service is often more suitable; for example if you feel that you are not able to make the baptism promises, but still want to thank God for the gift of your child.
If you decide on baptism, then we offer a short baptism course. These preparation evenings are a chance to ask questions and explore different elements of the baptism service and the baptism promise. Baptisms take place within the Sunday services.
There are no formal preparation sessions required before a thanksgiving service, but if you would like some form of preparation we would be very happy to arrange this. It is possible to offer a thanksgiving either during or after the Sunday morning services.
Adults
For adults, baptism is about transformation. It is a means of declaring your commitment to God and your decision to live His way, and a means of receiving his grace for the journey ahead.
We cannot re-baptise someone who has already been baptised as an infant, but you can re-affirm your baptism promises in a special service and/or we would encourage you to confirm these promises in a Confirmation Service.
Preparation for adult baptism or for confirmation would usually involve attending something like one of our Alpha courses, to explore the Christian faith.