Baptism
Baptism or Christening is an important part of the Church's life and ministry as well as being a very important start for both infants and adults in their Christian lives. Modern Church practice recommends that baptisms should thus take place on a Sunday when most of the church are present. At St Mary's, there are designated Sundays when the baptism would be during the main 10 o'clock service, or it can be at noon on a mutually convenient Sunday on the understanding that the parents bring their child to a 10 o'clock service afterwards for the final part of the Baptism service, which involves the Welcome and the giving of the candle and the certificate.
If you live in the parish, or your parents or grandparents do, you can be baptized at St Mary's. Equally if your parents were married at St Mary's or you have strong pastoral links in other ways but you don't actually live in the parish, you are welcome as long as the vicar of the parish you do live in has no objection. And of course if you worship here regularly ... it hardly needs saying!
There is a Baptism preparation session beforehand. We try to give Baptism its due dignity, and preparation for it is part of that process. We also hope that you and your child might want to be involved in further church life and activities afterwards, and the Breakfast Club is an obvious option for children and their parents.
Contact the Vicar, Philip Rowe, on 01454 613223