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About
Baptism
Welcome!
We
are delighted when we are asked about baptising children. The
birth of a baby is a very special occasion and one worth celebrating
before God as a family. We hope the following will answer some
questions and explain what you should do.
What
is Baptism?
- for
people of all ages;
- much
more than a naming ceremony
- a
public sign you intend to bring your child up in the Christian
faith;
- a
commitment by the church to support you as a family in your
journey of faith together;
- a
commitment by the parents and godparents to help your child
grow in faith and become part of the church family.
What
is Thanksgiving?
- an
opportunity to celebrate and give public thanks for your
child alongside your family and friends;
- a
recognition of the gift of your child without the need to
make any particular promises about faith;
- an
alternative or the first stage to Baptism.
Who
can be baptised in our church?
- Providing
you live within our parish (how
to find out if you live in our parish) we can begin
to talk about what happens next. If you live outside the
parish, things are not so straightforward. Please ring 473489
to talk to Nick Grew, the Vicar or e-mail
if you aren't sure.
-
We believe that married parents provide the foundation of
public commitment which is consistent with the promises
they make for their child at a baptism. However, we also
recognise that life is not always as clear cut as we would
like, and so we do not turn away anyone out of hand because
of their personal circumstances and arrangements, but would
want to explore possibilities in direct conversation.
What
happens next?
- Once
you have indicated you would like a baptism or thanksgiving
you will be contacted by a couple from the church who will
help you to prepare for the event.
- After
your first meeting with this couple you will need to attend
one of our morning services
to see how you get on with our style of worship and to meet
the church family.
- At
this point you will make the decision whether you would
like thanksgiving or baptism for your child.
- If
you have chosen baptism you will meet with the above couple
on (at least) two occasions at which you will review the
content of the baptism service, and take a closer look at
what it means to be a member of the church family. There
will be discussion material and videos.
- The
Vicar will call to make arrangements for the service.
- The
thanksgiving or baptism will take place as part of one of
our morning services.
And
then...
- If
your child has been baptised the minister will call with
the baptism certificate.
- We
hope to see you regularly in church as a fulfilment of your
promises at the baptism. You may also like to use the prayer
below at home.
- We
hope to keep in touch with you through our regular newsletters.
These will inform you about activities at the church.
A
prayer
God
our Father,
we thank you from our hearts
for the gift of our child
and for the privilege of parenthood.
Help
us to be patient and understanding,
so that our child may always
be sure of our love.
May
our life as a family
reflect your care,
and our example give them guidance,
so that our child will grow to know
you as friend and saviour.
Through
Jesus Christ our Lord;
Amen
What
about Godparents?
- When
choosing godparents it is good to ask people who will share
your desire to give Christian encouragement.
- You
need to make sure that, between yourselves and the godparents,
at least one of you has been confirmed; if this is a problem,
do talk with one of the Ministers.
- Three
godparents is the most typical number; for a boy, two men
and a woman; for a girl, two women and a man.
What
can your child expect from our church?
The
History of Baptism
Jesus' final command to his followers was to, '…go and make
disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you.' (Matthew 28:19,20). From
then on, once someone said they believed and trusted in Jesus,
they would want to be baptised as a sign of their new faith. Sometimes,
whole families were baptised when the parents came to believe,
and it was from this that the Baptism of babies and young children
became an historic practice in the church.
Baptism
is still a very special and important action in the Church today
for people of all ages. When a child is baptised it is much
more than a naming ceremony; it signifies that the parents want
to bring their child up to have the same Christian beliefs they
themselves hold. At baptism the Church also makes a commitment
to support the whole family in their journey of faith together.
As one prayer puts it, we are a 'Pilgrim People'.
If
your child is baptised, in due time, he/she will reach an age
when they may publicly claim that belief for themselves in a
service of Confirmation. Therefore the promises you will make
for your child at baptism must have some meaning for you, and
you will understand that acting upon those promises will entail
a regular attendance at Church as an encouragement & example
for your child.
As well as its significance as a sign of faith, baptism is also
an opportunity to celebrate the birth of your child with your
family and friends. You may feel that a celebration is primarily
what you want without (yet) making the promises of faith that
go with baptism. This is possible through an act of Dedication
and Thanksgiving. This spiritual celebration is often preferred
even by those who are regular church members, and we strongly
urge you to consider this seriously as an alternative, or first
stage, to baptism.
Come
along and see us….
Because we carry out Baptisms and Thanksgivings as part of a
Morning Service 10.30am at St Saviour's and 9.30am or 11.15am
at Holy Trinity (2nd , 3rd or 4th Sundays only). We require
that you first of all attend one Sunday morning at either St
Saviour's, Brookwood, or Holy Trinity, Knaphill. This way you
will be able to see how you get on with our style of worship
and we will have a chance to introduce ourselves to you and
talk with you directly.
We
look forward to welcoming you!
Find
out about details of this
weeks services.
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