CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD
BAPTISM(CHRISTENING) AND THANKSGIVING
At St Peter's we love children and welcome all parents who want to celebrate the birth of their baby.
We offer two types of service: Thanksgiving or Baptism (sometimes known as a Christening).
Baptism involves the parents and godparents making declarations about their faith, including regularly taking an active part in the worshipping life of the church. Increasingly some parents cannot do that with integrity so they choose a thanksgiving service to celebrate the birth instead of baptism, because the element of commitment is more open.
There are two baptism preparation sessions for parents, these provide an opportunity to explore the meaning of baptism and the promises that are part of the service.
To help parents fulfil the vows they will take at their child's baptism, we also invite parents to join one of our courses exploring the Christian faith (such as The Alpha Course). This will help them to understand the vows they are making and it will also help them to answer their children's questions about Christianity as they grow up.
There are no fees for baptisms or thanksgivings.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew19:14-
WHAT DO I DO NEXT?
If you have not been to a service at St Peter’s before, come along to our family service, which starts at 9.15am each Sunday. There is a crèche every Sunday and groups for children between 3-11 years. The service lasts an hour and would be an ideal opportunity to get a feel for what you are undertaking, especially if you are planning on a Service of Baptism.
For more information contact the Parish Office between 9am and 12.30pm Monday to Friday to arrange to talk to someone about the next step for you.