Baptisms

Baptism is given to adult believers on profession of faith and to the children of Church members or baptised adherents. 

To ask for your child to be baptised is to say that you want him/her to grow up within the family of the Christian Church. Baptism is sometimes called a “Christening” because it is a sign and seal of our belonging to Christ, admitted into his Church and engaged to follow him in faith and service. 

Baptism is really the first stage of a journey which leads hopefully to the child making their own profession of faith in time as a young person or adult, declaring their personal, active faith in Jesus Christ in the presence of their local church family. 

While the child is young it is the parents and the congregation who make the vows and commit to encouraging the child to grow and develop in the Christian faith. 

The vows taken by parents: 

• Do you present your child to be baptised, earnestly desiring that he/she may be grafted into Christ as a member of his body the church? 
• Do you believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and do you confess Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? 
• Do you promise, depending on the grace of God, to teach your/this child the truths and duties of the Christian faith and by prayer and example to bring him/her up in the life and worship of the Church? 

The vow taken by the congregation: 

• This sacrament lays solemn obligations upon you the people of God. Will you be faithful to your calling as members of the Church of Christ, so that this child, and all the children in your midst, may grow up in the knowledge and love of Christ? 

The minister will be happy to discuss the commitments and responsibilities of baptism with you. 

Thanksgiving and Blessing of a Child

For those parents who are not members of the church and who feel unable to make the commitment that the vows of baptism require, a welcome and blessing of their child may be offered as an alternative. As with baptism, a blessing happens within the context of morning worship. 

The promise taken by the parents is: 

In recognising the goodness of God in granting you the gift of this child that you bring before him here, do you earnestly desire that he/she be given Christ’s blessing just as he blessed the children long ago, and do you promise that you will be worthy and loving parents as long as they shall live? 

The minister is happy to meet with you to discuss this alternative service.