Introduction to Baptism

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Congratulations if you have recently had a baby, or if you have decided that now is the right time to have your child baptised. Every church offers Baptism in a slightly different way, which can be confusing. This introduction will help you to understand our practice here in Eldwick.  

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Our church believes that Baptism marks an important step in Christian commitment and that those to be baptised (or their parents in the case of a baby or child) should understand the meaning of Baptism.

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As the church family in Eldwick, we will:

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• welcome those who are enquiring about Baptism

• hold them and their family in prayer

• encourage them to carefully consider the implications of the step they are taking. (We do this by providing informal teaching concerning the Christian faith.)

• provide ongoing support to those who have been baptised, so they continue to grow in their Christian faith.

 

Preparation for Baptism

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Baptism begins with being willing to take time to talk through what happens in Baptism and its significance.

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The minister will take time to:

• Discuss the meaning of Baptism with you, with particular emphasis on personal faith in Jesus

• Explain the role of the Church in nurturing your faith

• Encourage you to become part of the regular worshipping Church so that baptism is not a one-off event, but a mark of an ongoing journey of faith.

 

Godparents or Sponsors 

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• It is normal practice to have three godparents, two of the same gender as the person to be baptised and one of the opposite gender.

• Godparents should be people who believe in the Christian faith, have themselves been baptised and who will encourage their godchild in the faith.

• Becoming a godparent is a serious matter. Godparents should sincerely mean the answers they will give to the questions asked of them in the service.

• We ask prospective godparents to read a copy of the Baptism service before they agree to take on this role.

• Being a godparent implies no legal responsibilities if anything happens to a child's parents.

• Some people feel that they cannot, in all good conscience, say the vows but still want to support the child. In this case they are known as sponsors.

• When an adult is baptised sponsors take the place of godparents.  

 

What happens at Baptism 

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• At baptism the church declares publicly that it welcomes the parents and child into the congregation.  The bible tells us how much Jesus valued children, and during the service we ask God to bless the child richly.

• The parents and godparents of a baptised child are publicly promising that they will help the child to grow up to believe and accept Jesus as their Lord.

 

When do Baptisms take place? 

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Baptisms normally take place in the main Sunday service at 10.30am. 

 

Costs: there is no fee for this service. 

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Adult Baptism and Confirmation

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When an adult or a teenager is baptised, they are publicly stating that they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and want to live their life as a Christian. This service is often followed by Confirmation. A confirmation service also allows people who were baptised as a child to publicly confirm their faith in Jesus and become a full member of the church. In The Eldwick Church, the service is conducted by both a Bishop and a Methodist minister, so that the confirmed person becomes a member of both the Church of England and the Methodist church

 

A service of Thanksgiving and Blessing 

 

For some people, baptism can feel like a big commitment which they are not yet ready to make, Yet they want to give thanks for their child in church, ask God’s blessings for their child and mark the occasion with a family celebration. In this case, parents may like to consider a special Service of Thanksgiving and Blessing. This too is a joyful service but without the water or the promises of baptism. Thanksgiving and Blessing is held during the main Sunday Service at 10.30am. There is no fee for this service. For more details, contact the office 01274 442015.