Introduction

The Anglican Church continues to believe that Baptism is very important to individuals and the wider Church. It is the primary act of Christian initiation, as seen in the Bible, and well documented throughout the tradition of the Church and widely practiced. It is a sacrament, which is understood to be a visible sign of God’s love, which unites Christians to Christ and makes them part of his body, the worldwide Church. Baptism is available for ALL ages, newborn to adult!

 

The Next Step

Please contact our Vicar to arrange an available date. Baptisms usually happen on the first Sunday of each month, as part of our All Age Services. We will do our best to put you at your ease and make the whole process as enjoyable as possible. In order to have a Baptism service at Christ Church you would need to live in the parish of Christ Church, Moldgreen (you can check whether you live within the Parish by going to http://www.achurchnearyou.com where a parish map is available) or if this doesn't apply, you need to be able to demonstrate that you have some a "qualifying connection" with the church.

 

Qualifying Connections

1) The child or adult you wish to have baptised (or parents of the child) has at any time had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; has at any time habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months; or:

 

2) Either of the parents or a brother, sister or grandparent of the person to be baptised have been baptised at Christ Church; or have been confirmed and the confirmation has been entered in a church register book belonging to the parish. (This would have been done on the basis that the person concerned was prepared for confirmation in the parish); or:

 

3) That person’s parent has at any time during the person’s lifetime had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; or habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months; or:

 

4) That person’s parent or grandparent was married in the parish (In this list references to being baptised, confirmed or married, or attending public worship, all refer to Church of England services.)

 

Please note that if none of these categories apply to you or your family, then this means there is no strong qualifying connection with Christ Church at the present time, so you will need to contact your own parish church, which you can find by entering your post code on http://www.achurchnearyou.com. You are of course always welcome to begin worshipping at Christ Church and if, after six months of regular attendance, you wish to arrange a baptism, then we will be happy to discuss this with you.

 

Who Can Be Godparents?

The Church of England requires that there must be at least three Godparents, two should be the same sex as the child. Parents can stand as Godparents as long as they are not the only Godparents. In the Church of England those wishing to stand as Christian Godparents must themselves be baptised. Any who are not baptized may give consideration to being baptized either before, or during, the service at which they are to stand. If they live in this parish we are happy to meet with them and make the necessary arrangements, if they live elsewhere, they must see their own vicar first.

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At least one of the Godparents must also have been confirmed (a special service led by a Bishop and, usually, following which the candidate is able to receive Holy Communion. You can find further information about Confirmation at: https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/confirmation. If none of the Godparents have been confirmed, then we require that a parent stands as a Godparent.

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Please note: By law, the names of the parents in the Baptism Register must be the same as those on the child’s Birth Certificate. So where a relationship may have broken down, please ensure you that both parents consent to the service. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please do speak to our Vicar who will do her best to help.

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The Promises

Christian baptism is a very important occasion involving serious decisions. As parents and godparents you will have to say that you will help your child ‘walk in the way of Christ’ and ‘take their place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church’. This means that you will make promises to bring your child to Church so they will be able to share their life and faith journey with their new family, the Church. You will have to answer serious questions on your child’s behalf promising that you have decided to turn away from everything which is wrong and instead turn towards Christ and His way. You don’t have to be a perfect Christian to want to follow Christ. The declarations show that you intend to do your best. You and the godparents must make the declarations yourselves, although the Church will support and encourage you with these.

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It is crucial that in wanting the best for your child you bring your child along to worship regularly with the Church Family in order to develop a sense of belonging. Please do ask about the services, events and activities which the Church provides to help you in this. The usual pattern of services in our two parishes are:

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Sundays

9:30 am St James, Rawthorpe

11:00 am Christ Church, Moldgreen

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We have a number of different styles of service available throughout the month and you can find more detail on those by clicking the "services and events" tab on this website. If you are unsure about whether you are able to make these promises, then we would still love to help you welcome your child so please ask about a ‘Service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child’.

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Family & Friends

Please arrive at the church at least 15 minutes before the service is due to start (ie by 10:45am), in order that everyone can be seated in time. Because this is a service of Christian worship, we ask that family and friends do not take photographs during the service, but there will be plenty of time for photos after the service and we will gladly “pose” with family and friends around the font to facilitate this.

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If you have any further questions or queries please contact our Priest in Charge, The Rev'd Charlotte Cheshire on 01484 982 373 .

 

If you would like to read more information about Christenings in the Church of England, please click here: https://churchofenglandchristenings.org/