|
|
| Baptism - Frequently Asked Questions |
|
You may have questions about Baptism, here are
a few of the most frequently asked questions:
|
| What is Baptism ? |
|
You may have heard of this service as a "Christening", it not as some people think a "naming" service or something that "ought" to be done, but the start of your child’s Christian life. In this service you promise, as parents and godparents to "turn to Christ", showing that you want to put Jesus and His ways first in your life and be an example spiritually to your child. The church provides a worshipping community that will help you in this important task. |
| When can my baby be Baptised ? |
| Baptisms are held on Sunday mornings, either in the 10a.m. Family Worship Service or at a special service at 12 noon. The timing will be arranged with the vicar when he calls to arrange the date. |
| What happens at the Baptism ? |
| An example of the service can be found below. For each Baptism service we produce an order of service booklet which is personalised for the child or children being Baptised. These can then be kept by you and your family as a memento of the day. |
| How many Godparents should we have ? |
| The minimum requirement is two godparents, one male and one female. The godparents MUST have been baptised themselves. You can choose to have more godparents if you wish. |
| Can we take photos or a video recording ? |
| In St. Barnabas’ we do allow people to take photographs during the ceremony and we allow one person to video the occasion, there is no charge for this. |
| How much does a Baptism cost ? |
| There is no charge for the Baptism service, but there is a plate at the back of church, if you wish to make a voluntary contribution to the costs of your child’s Baptism (e.g. Baptism certificate, Vicar’s time, heating, lighting etc) |
| The Baptism Service - What Happens ? |
|
The service begins with a Hymn, followed by a reading from the
Bible and a short talk by the vicar or one of the members of the
worship team. The vicar asks the Parents and Godparents if they will help the
child learn about God, Jesus and the Christian faith. The Parents and Godparents are asked to renew their own Baptism
vows: "Do you turn to Christ?", "Do you repent
of your sins?", "Do you renounce evil?" The water in the font (The container for water for Baptism) is blessed and all present who have faith in Christ are asked to confirm their faith by answering the questions: "Do you believe and trust in God the Father,............. the Son................ and the Holy Spirit........" to which they reply "I believe and trust in Him" The Parents and Godparents are invited to come forward to the font. The vicar pours water over each child ........this signifies cleansing and refreshing and is an important sign of life. The vicar will make the sign of the cross on the child’s forehead. This is like an invisible badge to show that Christians are united with Christ and must not be ashamed to stand up for their faith in Him. The vicar will light a candle from the large candle that will be lit in church. Jesus is called the "light of the world" and this smaller candle is for you to keep as a reminder that the light of Christ has come into the child’s life.There follows a time of prayer for the child, the child’s parents and Godparents. The service will end with a hymn and a blessing. All the service
is set out on the Baptism service booklet so that you can |
| Want to know more? Or do you want to arrange the Baptism? Click Here to find out how to arrange it |