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Welcome to
our page about Baptism at St. Michael’s. Baptism is an
important part of the Christian faith, and if you are
considering baptism for your child or yourself, we will be
delighted to hear from you. Please contact us initially at the
Parish Office on (01206) 228124, or e-mail
us by clicking here. There is a
lot of information on this page – it’s in the form of
“Questions & Answers”, which we hope you will find
helpful, but of course we’d be pleased to answer any other
questions you have. We look forward to hearing from you!
What is
Baptism?
Baptism is an
ancient way of making a commitment to Jesus, still very popular
today. It is a ceremony in which promises are publicly made to
God, and which marks the formal start of a journey of faith.
What’s the
right age to be baptised?
Jesus was
baptised in the River Jordan – at age 30. We can be baptised
at any age – many adults who find faith in God decide to be
baptised as a sign of their commitment, and are joyously
welcomed into the Church. In the Church of England, infant
baptism is very popular, and there is no lower age-limit!
What’s the
difference between Baptism and Christening?
None. they
are two words for the same thing. The word “baptise”
literally means “wash, or immerse” – because water is
used. “Christening” means inviting Christ into one’s life,
just as “strengthening” means making stronger.
How can
babies make commitments and promises?
We thought
you’d ask that! When you, as parents and Godparents, bring a
child to be baptised, you are asked to declare publicly, and on
behalf of the child, that you believe in God, and that you will
bring up the child to follow Jesus. You will be asked to say, on
your child’s behalf, that you have decided to turn away from
everything which is sinful, and to turn instead to Jesus Christ.
When are
baptisms in St. Michael’s?
Baptisms take
place on the fourth Sunday of each month as part of our main
Sunday service, which begins at 10:15 a.m. and lasts just over
an hour. It’s a “family-friendly” service, of course, and
children are always welcomed at our services. We want the
service to be especially memorable for you and your family, so
there will be no more than three baptisms during each service.
Therefore, there could be quite a waiting list – so do make
contact soon!
What are
Godparents?
They are very
important people! Godparents promise to pray for and support the
child, and to help the parents bring up the child in the
Christian faith. They should be baptised themselves, and there
should be at least three – two of whom are the same sex as the
child, and one of the opposite sex. They are usually family
members or very good friends of the family, who will take an
active interest in the child’s welfare and upbringing in the
years to come, until the child is able to make a personal,
informed decision regarding their own faith.
Shouldn’t
we wait, and let children make their own decisions?
Some do wait.
However, baptism is not a matter of imposing our views on our
children, but ensuring they have a good environment for making
those decisions at a later time. From birth, we make choices for
our children – we give them food and clothing and a good home.
What better than to provide a healthy spiritual environment, in
which they are nourished with God’s goodness until they are
old enough to step out on their own.
How do we
prepare for the Baptism service?
When you have
contacted us about a baptism, one of our clergy will visit you
at home, note all the details (checking that the child lives in
our Parish) and discuss what it means for you, as parents and
Godparents. He will also be able to answer any questions you
might have, and help you prepare for the day - and start
thinking about a date for the baptism.
What happens
in the baptism service?
Let’s start
with a tip – arrive early! The services are popular, so we
suggest you’re here before 10 a.m. It will be a service of
Holy Communion with hymns and songs, and in the middle of the
service we gather round the font (a large basin on a pedestal,
with the water in it) which is at the back of the Church.
Parents and Godparents are asked to make declarations and
promises (see the box on the right), for themselves and on
behalf of the child.
Then, the
priest will make the sign of the cross on the child’s
forehead. This is an invisible “membership badge”, showing
that all Christians are united with Jesus Christ. He will anoint
with oil, using a little special oil on the child’s
forehead, which is a sign of God’s Holy Spirit being poured
out in blessing. The priest will bless the water, in
other words, ask God to make the water holy, for use in the
baptism. He will ask you to “name this child”. Your
child already has a family name (your surname), by being born
into your family - and now receives Christian name(s), at the
time of welcome into God’s family. Then the priest will baptise
the child – sprinkle water on the head. This reminds us of
ancient baptisms, which were by “full immersion” – a sign
of complete washing, and rising to a new life. Then comes the welcome
– when the child is formally welcomed as a member of
Christ’s worldwide Church. That is always followed by
applause!
The service
then continues with Holy Communion, when we invite all to come
to the communion rail to receive either the bread and wine or a
blessing.
Do we receive
anything?
Yes –
there’s a Baptismal Certificate – an official
document to say that the child is baptised; a candle as a
reminder that Jesus, the Light of the World, has entered your
child’s life; and Godparents will each receive a card
to remind them of the promises they have made for the child.
Another tip: it’s a good idea to place this card in a diary, a
little way into the future, so that when you get to it you have
a little reminder (should you need it!) of your task as
Godparent. Then put the reminder further on in your diary –
and so on. Oh, and there may be another little present too –
for your child…..
You’ll have
other reminders, too – such as photographs of the day. We are
happy for you to take photos, and always provide a formal photo
opportunity at the end of the service.
I hate to
ask, but what does it cost?
We love to
tell you. Nothing! But the very act of committing one’s life
to Jesus will cost us our old way of life! The good news is
that, as members of the Church, we have the support of a great
number of people, whose task it is to surround us with love and
support.
Do continue
to come to Church; everyone is welcome, as you will have already
seen, and our Family Services are always friendly and informal.
As you will see from the rest of our Website, there is a whole range of
activities for children and adults of all ages, and we look
forward to seeing you – you’re part of the family!
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