Christening your Child at St Swithin's

Baptisms at st swithins

So you would like have your child baptised? Or perhaps you yourself are seeking answers and think that maybe baptism is the first step towards finding them.

Here you will find information relating to baptism including the following:

Alternatively contact Rev'd Matthew Earwicker

01249 821329

What happens during the service?

Your child's baptism will normally take place during the main Sunday service (usually in the morning). This is so that your child can be seen to be joining the family of the Church and be welcomed into membership. In turn the Church will promise to support and pray for you and your child.

Matthew will make sure you know where to sit and when you need to move. Some parts of the service will be for the whole congregation to join in, some will be for you and the godparents.

Part of the baptism service will normally take place at the front of the church, but for the baptism itself, parents and godparents are usually asked by Matthew to gather around the font. (The font is a large basin on a pedestal, containing the water for baptism.)

Matthew will ask the parents and godparents to make declarations on behalf of the child

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Making decisions and promises

When you bring your child for baptism, you will be asked to declare publicly on behalf of your child that you believe in God and that you will bring your child up to follow Jesus.

You will be asked to answer, on your child's behalf, that you have decided to turn away from everything which is evil or sinful and instead to turn towards Christ.

The declarations made by you and your child's godparents will be made in front of the church congregation; the local Christian community will promise to support you and pray for you and your child.

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Symbols and actions used during the service

A number of important symbols and actions will be used during the service itself:

  • The sign of the cross - Matthew will make the sign of the cross on your child's forehead. This is like an invisible badge to show that Christians are united with Christ and must not be ashamed to stand up for their faith in him.

Matthew says:

Christ claims you for his own.

Receive the sign of his cross.

Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified.

Some churches may also invite you and the godparents to sign the cross on your child's forehead after the minister has done so.

  • Water - Matthew will pour water on your child's head. Water is a sign of washing and cleansing. In baptism it is a sign of being washed free from sin and beginning a new life with God.

Water is a sign of life, but also a symbol of death. When we are baptized, it is as though our old life is buried in the waters (like drowning) and we are raised to new life with Christ.

  • Anointing - after baptism in water, some ministers may put the christening robe on the child and anoint him or her with oil. This is a sign of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit.

Matthew says:

May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church,

pour upon you the riches of his grace,

that within the company of Christ's pilgrim people

you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit,

and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory.

  • The welcome - the church congregation will say some formal words of welcome to acknowledge that your child has joined the Church and to show how pleased they are to have you among them.
  • Candles - Jesus is the Light of the World. A large candle may be lit in the church and you may also be given a lighted candle at the end of the service as a reminder of the light which has come into your child's life.

It is up to you, the child's godparents and the church community to help your child reject the world of darkness and follow a way of life that reflects goodness and light and shares this light with others.

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The role of godparents

Godparents make the same promises on behalf of the child being baptised as parents. Godparents promise to pray and support the child and to help the parents to bring up the child in the Christian faith. It is an important and responsible role.

You should have at least three godparents: two of the same sex as the child and one of the opposite sex. Godparents can be family members or friends. However, it is important that you choose people who will take an interest in your child's spiritual welfare and who will pray for you and your child. Godparents must themselves be baptized, and should also be confirmed.

Read more about becoming a Godparent.

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Thanksgiving Service

You may wish to ask Matthew about having a service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child. In this service, you thank God for the gift of your child and the child is blessed. You do not make the same promises as in the Baptism service.

If you choose to have a Thanksgiving, you may also have a Baptism service for your child at a later date.

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