Baptism is the beginning of the Christian
journey of faith, and we trust that God will strengthen you in
that journey. Obviously you as a family have to agree to a baptism
taking place, as well as agree how the baptised’s Christian
journey will take shape. We, as a church locally, will help you
and nurture you on the way, but, at the end of the day, the prime
responsibility for that is yours. To help you understand this,
the opening words of the service put it beautifully:
The Church receives these children
with joy. Today we are trusting God for their growth in faith.
Will you pray for them, draw them by your example into the community
of faith and walk with them in the way of Christ?
In baptism these children begin their journey in faith. You speak
for them today. Will you care for them, and help them to take
their place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church?
To those questions, parents and godparents
are invited to respond:
With the help of God, we will.
To ensure that you understand this level
of commitment and are willing to make these promises clearly and
with true feeling, we invite you to worship with us
as you lead up to the service of Baptism, and to continue in this
pattern after the big day. You will promise to pray with them,
worship with them, and encourage them towards the next sacrament,
which is the receiving of Holy Communion.
When will the Service take
place?
We normally have services twice a month,
and you should enquire about available dates in a few months’
time. The time of the service is 12 noon on a Sunday.
How much does it cost?
Not a lot, really. We ask for a contribution
of £25 per family from which candidates come. This pays
for the costs of the service and the certificates which are given
to each person baptised, and to their godparents, reminding them
of their responsibilities. We also ask the congregation on the
day to make a donation to the parish for the upkeep of the building
for future generations being baptised in Rowner.
Who needs to be Baptised?
Obviously, if you are going to be making
baptismal promises on behalf of your child, then you need to have
been baptised yourself. If you have not, please arrange with the
Rector to be baptised, either at the same service, or separately,
if you would rather. The same goes for Godparents
(and you can have up to 4 for each child being
baptised).
What do I do next?
First, come to church on a Sunday to enjoy
and participate in the worship (our main Service is at 10am).
You can then enquire about Baptism, and ask questions; but to
book the Baptism, you need to come to the Church Office
on a Monday evening at 6pm.
