Baptisms
Whether you are bringing a child or coming yourself to be Christened (also known as being Baptised), we are delighted!
Christening marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives. If you are bringing your child to be Christened, it is a celebration of their role in your life, and the life of your family, but also an expression of hope for all you would like them to be. We hope that their Christening gives you a chance to connect your child not only to a spiritual life in Christ, but also to the community of faith which is here.
So do ask us about our Forest Church and other informal worship, which is designed to be comfortable for young families, as well as the other opportunities to worship with us.
As you plan this Christening, take a look at the Church of England website, which is full of helpful tips and pointers for planning your day.
We would welcome you to have your service with us on a Sunday morning so that we can get to know each other, and to help us support you as you step out in this new stage of your child’s life in Christ, but do talk to us about what you need.
On this page you will find a form to contact us to book a Christening. It will ask for the details of you and your child, as well as asking who the godparents will be, and whether they themselves are Christened (baptised). You can see a copy of the form we use here.
Choosing godparents for your child is an important undertaking. They will be there throughout the child's life to support and encourage them in good times and in bad, as a connection to their life of faith and to their wider family of friends. When a child is Christened, they will need at least three godparents (two of whom are the same sex as the child) who must be Christened themselves, so that they can make the promises required in the service. If they want to be Christened in the service, together with their godchild, do be in touch.
The form will also ask who has parental responsibility for the child. This is because, while only one parent need present a child to be Christened, we need to make sure that anyone with parental responsibility is aware of such an important event in a child’s life and identity (or, if there are reasons why the other parent should not be told, we can act accordingly).
If a Christening is not for you, but you want to mark in church your child’s arrival, you can bring them to church for a service of thanksgiving and blessing for you and your family. Just let us know and we can plan something together to suit your needs.
Some photos by Sarah Clark Photography and Nick Park at Parkershots.
If you are bringing your own self to be Christened (more often described as being Baptised, among adults), we are pleased to help. Please be in touch, and we can look to accompanying you on this journey. Traditionally, with adults, the baptism service includes the special commissioning as a Christian, called Confirmation. This is done by a bishop and is a lovely element of the service, so we would want to be sure you had some further grounding in the Christian faith. This requires a little more planning, to co-ordinate with the Bishop’s office and arrange confirmation classes. These are small friendly discussions designed to help you grow as a Christian in your understanding of your faith. Don’t worry, though, because we will keep you at the heart of the arrangements, and make sure you are comfortable and confident. The simplest thing is to come along on a Sunday morning and speak to the vicar, who will discuss with you the best way forward.