Baptisms / Christenings

A christening or baptism (two different words for the same service) is an opportunity to say thank you for the gift of life and to ask for God's blessing and guidance as we grow. Many people bring children for christening, which we can do at any age. Godparents are there to support the candidate, especially babies who are too young to respond to the service themselves. Use the form below to arrange your service, or contact us to find out more.

We can also christen older children and adults if they have not been christened already. Baptism or christening only happens once in our lifetimes, but if you have been christened we can arrange a service of affirmation or renewal if this is something you would like.

We usually offer christenings in your own separate service on a Sunday lunchtime, but we can also include the christening ceremony in another service, including a wedding if this is appropriate for you. A christening is free of charge although we do invite donations to support the work of the church. We can arrange for an organist to play for the service, for which there is a small fee.

Are you a parent or godparent, unsure how to support your child to grow spiritually as well as physically, mentally and emotionally? Take a look a these resources from Parenting for Faith, including a few short videos, which offer help and advice as your child grows in faith.

FAQs

I am not a regular churchgoer. Can I have my child christened?
Yes, we are happy to speak to anyone about baptism and christening, whether or not you are a regular churchgoer. We want you to be able to participate fully in the service, including a commitment from the parents and godparents to support and pray for the candidate, and we can help you to understand these parts of the service. We have lots of services and events specifically for children and families, so we hope that you might be interested in finding out more, as this can help you to grow as a family, especially as your child gets older.

How many godparents should I have?
There is no limit to the number of godparents a child can have, but a child who is unable to speak for themselves should have at least one. Three is traditional. Older children and adults may wish to have godparents or sponsors but this is not essential.

Do godparents need to be baptised/christened themselves?
Yes, godparents do need to be christened themselves. If you would like to be a godparent but you are not christened, this could be an opportunity to explore this yourself so that you can act as godparent to the child. We can include those who not christened in a more informal role as a supporter.