Christenings (baptism of a child) and Thanksgivings
The birth of a child is a joyous occasion. It’s really good to bring family and friends together to celebrate and to give God thanks.
- A service of thanksgiving is just that – a special time in church in which prayers are offered to God and his blessing is prayed for your child.
- A service of Christening is another name for the baptism of a child. Your child will be baptized with water, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Parents and godparents make important promises about bringing your child to church and encouraging them in their Christian faith. It’s the start of an amazing life-long journey with God and with the church.
A thanksgiving or a baptism can take place within a regular Sunday service or separately at 12:30 on Sunday afternoon.
We offer these services to:
- everyone who lives in our parish.
- everyone who worships regularly with us.
If neither of these apply to you, we suggest you contact your own parish church. If you really do want to make St Mary’s or St Peter’s your church, you’ll need to worship regularly (at least once a month) for three months before making your enquiry.
What happens next?
If you would like to make an enquiry, please contact us. We always prepare parents for the baptism of a child, so you’ll meet with a member of our ministry team to discuss the Christian faith and all that’s involved.