christenings and baptisms

Christening or Baptism?

Christening means the same as baptism. Many people say ‘christening’,because it is the traditional English word; during the church service you will hear the word ‘baptism’ being used. A christening service is exactly the same as a baptism service.

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What We Do

Key questions about baptisms

What is a baptism?

What is a baptism?

Your child is precious to you and precious to God. You want the very best for them, and so does God. You want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.

During a baptism your child will be baptised with water. It’s the start of an amazing journey of faith for your child and a special day for all your friends and family. Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child by:

Being there for your child to talk to about the biggerquestions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.

Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.

Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.

Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith,through their church and in other ways.

So, it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on. 

What happens in the service?

What happens in the service?

Children are usually baptised during the main Sunday morning service; the baptism will come after the sermon or talk. It is possible to arrange a separate service for baptism; you need to speak with the vicar to see if this can be arranged.

The baptism service includes the following:

Welcome: The vicar will welcome everyone and especially the child who will be baptised and their family.

There will be a Bible reading, and the vicar will also talk about what a christening means.

Promises: The parents and the godparents will make some important promises for the child in the service. Everyone promises to continue supporting the child from this moment.

Sign of the Cross: A special oil is be used to make the sign of a cross on the child’s forehead. It’s a significant moment, which marks the child as belonging to God.

Water: Water which is blessed in the church’s font will be poured over the child’s head by the vicar. This is the child’s baptism. It’s a sign of a new beginning and becoming a part of God’s family.

Prayers and Welcome: The vicar, or someone else from the church, will pray for the child and for all those who will support them in their path of faith. Everyone present welcomes the child into the family of the church with words given in the service.

Candle: At the end of the service the child is given a lit candle with the words “Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God.” If they have older brothers and sisters who have already been baptised, we can relight their candles at this time.

What about godparents?

What about godparents?

Choosing the right people as godparents for your child is a big decision. Here are some key things which might help you decide:

 

Godparents will be people who’ll be in touch with your family for many years to come. They may be relatives or friends of the family. They’ll be people who you know you can trust and who’ll be there for your child to talk about the bigger questions in life; questions about faith, hope and love. They should feel ready to make some big promises about faith for your child in church.

Every child should have at least three godparents, traditionally two of the same sex and at least one of the opposite sex to your child. Although there is no official maximum number of godparents, three or four is usual. If you’d like more than that, talk to your vicar or baptism volunteer about the practicalities and they’ll be pleased to advise.

Parents may be godparents for their own children, providing they have at least one other godparent.

Because of the very special role they have in supporting your child’s faith journey, godparents must be baptised themselves. Ideally, they should be confirmed too, but the vicar can agree to godparents who aren’t confirmed.

If you’re thinking about asking someone who is under 18to be a godparent, talk to the vicar or your baptism volunteer first. There’s no minimum age for godparents, but they must be mature enough to understand the responsibilities they’re taking on.

 

During a baptism your child will be baptised with water. It’s the start of an amazing journey of faith for your child and a special day for all your friends and family. Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child by:

Being there for your child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.

Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.

Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.

Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.

 

So, it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on.

Barrow and Wolds Group

© 2024, Barrow and Wolds Group

Church office

Barrow Church
Church St, Barrow upon Soar,
Loughborough LE12 8HP

Contact Details

E. enquiries@barrowandwoldsgroup.com
P. 01509 416520