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We're delighted you want to recognise the arrival of your child as a gift from God...
We offer two different services for those wanting to celebrate the arrival of a child into their life and pray for God's blessing upon them. We normally incorporate them into our Sunday morning service. |
Please contact the Shirley Jenkins to discuss what would be most appropriate for you and to arrange all the details.
[email protected] |
Baptism Service (Also called a Christening)
Baptism is the doorway into the Christian faith and into the church. When an infant is baptised the parents and godparents promise to pray for them, to draw them into the community of the church, and help them to walk in the way of self-giving love that Christ displayed for us. The service requires parents and godparents to declare their own Christian faith, to turn away from all that is evil, and to turn to Christ as the one through whom we are reconciled to God our Heavenly Father.
Baptism is the doorway into the Christian faith and into the church. When an infant is baptised the parents and godparents promise to pray for them, to draw them into the community of the church, and help them to walk in the way of self-giving love that Christ displayed for us. The service requires parents and godparents to declare their own Christian faith, to turn away from all that is evil, and to turn to Christ as the one through whom we are reconciled to God our Heavenly Father.
Thanksgiving and Blessing Service
This is a service in which parents, friends and family give thanks for the birth or adoption of a child and we pray for God’s blessing upon the baby, parents and home.
It may be followed later by baptism, indeed many families choose a Thanksgiving service because it allows the child to make up their own mind about the Christian faith when they are older, but it is not necessarily a first step to baptism. It is simply a different service - a service of saying Thank you and asking for God’s Blessing on your child, rather than one of making promises about following Christ.
Godparents are not required for a thanksgiving, but parents may wish to name "sponsors" who can fulfil the role of supporting the child and family.
This is a service in which parents, friends and family give thanks for the birth or adoption of a child and we pray for God’s blessing upon the baby, parents and home.
It may be followed later by baptism, indeed many families choose a Thanksgiving service because it allows the child to make up their own mind about the Christian faith when they are older, but it is not necessarily a first step to baptism. It is simply a different service - a service of saying Thank you and asking for God’s Blessing on your child, rather than one of making promises about following Christ.
Godparents are not required for a thanksgiving, but parents may wish to name "sponsors" who can fulfil the role of supporting the child and family.
More Details
See Baptism in the Church of England for more information.
As St Leonard’s is both Church of England & Methodist, adults or children may also be baptised into the Methodist Church. See Baptism in the Methodist Church.
The only difference is the exact form of the service as both denominations accept baptism into the other.
See Baptism in the Church of England for more information.
As St Leonard’s is both Church of England & Methodist, adults or children may also be baptised into the Methodist Church. See Baptism in the Methodist Church.
The only difference is the exact form of the service as both denominations accept baptism into the other.