Baptism/Christening – the beginning of a journey of faith

Baptism (sometimes called Christening) is one of the ways in which we welcome children and adults into the Christian faith, as a member of the world-wide Church. There is no charge for baptism, although we do take a collection at the service and any donations to the work of St Anne’s are always welcome.

In brief, parents will be invited to attend a short weekly course, run over 3 Monday evenings between 7pm and 8pm. Once this course has been completed, if you still wish to go ahead with the baptism Rev Dave will discuss with you a suitable date and book you in. The course is not limited to just parents and you may wish to consider whether those who may choose as Godparents if they want to attend as well so they are clear on the vows and promises they will be making. Alternatively, at the end of the course you may decide that a Thanksgiving for you child may be more appropriate and Rev Dave will discuss this with you or you may think that a Christian baptism for you child is not right at this time. There will be no pressure from us at the end of the course to do anything else.

Dates for the baptism preparation course for 2023 are as follows:

9th, 16th & 23rd January 2023

6th, 13th & 20th March 2023

12th, 19th, 26th June 2023

11th, 18th, 25th September 2023

Godparents The choice of godparents is an important part of baptism. Godparents must be baptised and people you feel will support your child in their journey of life and faith. People normally choose three godparents but please do speak to Rev Dave when you book your baptism if you have concerns. For more information on the role of godparent please follow this link.

What baptism means Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in  response to God’s love. It is a joyful moment when we rejoice in what God has done for us in Christ, making serious promises and declaring our Christian faith. The wider community of the local church and friends welcome the newly  baptised, promising support and prayer for the future. Hearing and doing these things provides an opportunity to remember our own baptism and reflect on the progress made on that journey, which is now to be shared with this new member of the Church. Baptism is the first step on the journey of faith and we are here to support you (and your child) on the further steps of that journey. We welcome you to join us in our services and groups as part of that exploration. The Church of England’s website also has more information on baptisms (the link opens in a new window).  There is also a frequently asked section which can be accessed here.

Thanksgivings – a different journey

A special church service, different from a christening, can be used as a way to say thank you to God for your child.

It is called a Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child and you can view the words of this service just here.

It’s possible to have this service instead of a christening if you decide that now isn’t the right time to have your child baptized. Or, you could even have the Thanksgiving service as well as a christening.

You might also choose this service when your baby is just born, or if you have adopted a child into your family and you simply want to celebrate this with special words said by a vicar in church.

Whatever the reason, Rev Dave will be delighted to talk to you about this service.