We’re delighted that you’re thinking of baptism. Some people missed out on being baptised as a child and want baptism for themselves. Others want to bring their child or children forward for baptism. You and your child/children are precious to God. At the baptism of a child you promise to raise your child/children to know God loves them, and to help them to follow Jesus as a member of the Church.
What is Baptism?
In baptism you are making a promise to God to go forward in faith and asking for the Church’s support. As parents you are thanking God for his gift of life, making a decision to start your child on the journey of faith, and asking for the Church’s support. It involves turning away from all that is evil, turning towards Christ, and becoming an active and life-long member of the Church – the local and worldwide Christian family.
What happens during the Baptism service?
Baptisms take place during the main 10:00am Sunday morning service. This is so that you or your child can be seen to be joining the family of the Church and be welcomed into membership. In turn, the Church promises to support and pray for those being baptised. Some parts of the service are for the whole congregation to join in, others are solely for you and the godparents.
Thanksgiving Service
Rather than baptism for your child you may wish to request a Service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child – either prior to a baptism or instead of a baptism. In this service, you thank God for the gift of your child and the child is blessed by the minister. You do not make the same promises as at baptism. If you choose to have a Thanksgiving service, you may still request a Baptism service at a later date.
So what is the first step you need to take?
Please note that baptism is available for anyone of any age.
Please contact our Parish Administrator, Claire Morrell-Stone, on office@bramcoteparishchurch.com if you would like more details about the various possibilities open to you and how you might set about planning a Baptism or Thanksgiving.
To view our frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) regarding baptism please click the link below. If you are interested in exploring Confirmation, please visit our dedicated page.