Baptisms

Baptisms are always a joyful occasion in the life of any family whether it be for a new baby, or for an adult who has decided to follow Jesus. Whatever the age, Baptism is the symbolic start of the Christian pilgrimage through life. When a baby is  baptised (also called a Christening) there is the added celebration of thanking God for a new life, and seeking his blessing on them as they grow up. When an adult is baptised, they are able to make the promises for themselves, and it is a wonderful opportunity to ‘stand up and be counted’ as a Christian.

What is Baptism?                                                                                                                                       

From the Bible we understand that Baptism is about renewal; turning away from anything bad in our lives and turning towards Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. As the water is poured, we are reminded that God washes away our sins. After Baptism, we receive the light of Christ (demonstrated by the receiving of a candle) in which we are instructed to walk in all the days of our life. The baptised child/adult is formally welcomed into the family of the worldwide Church of which Jesus is the Head - He was baptised Himself.

Godparents and Sponsors:

Godparents and sponsors promise to try and follow Jesus themselves, and encourage and support whoever is being baptised to be a fully active Christian disciple.

What does it mean in practice?

• Praying for the baptised.

• Setting a good example of Christian living, both at home and at Church.

• Encouraging full membership and participation with the local church.

Thanksgivings for the birth of a child

Some parents prefer to let their children grow up and then make their own choice about baptism later in life. In this instance we offer a thanksgiving  which might feel more appropriate. We thank God for the gift of their child and pray for God's blessing on them. This does not include the symbol of water.

If you would like to talk further about either a baptism or a thanksgiving, please make contact in the first instance with our Vicar, Nicky Harvey (01622 831379) or click here to email.

Click here for more information on Baptism from the Church of England website

To download our Baptism leaflet click here

Below is a picture of Marden's seventeenth century font with its Jacobean cover.