YATE PARISH
MAKING JESUS VISIBLE
Parish Office 01454 313105 St Nix Office 01454 324712
Your Child’s Baptism
We are delighted you are thinking of baptism for your child. Your child is precious to you and precious to God.
At baptism you promise to raise your child to know that God loves them, and to help them to follow Jesus as a member of God's family, the Church. Jesus himself was baptised as a sign of a new beginning.
Why Baptism?
Baptism is a sign of God's love for us. In baptism, we thank God for his gift of life and publicly acknowledge his love.
It marks a new start: a decision to follow Jesus Christ within the family of the church.
What happens at a baptism?
There are several special moments in the service:
The vicar will pray for your child and for all those who will support them in their path to faith.
The parents and the godparents will make some important promises for your child in the service. You can see these words on line at www.churchofenglandchristenings.org/service.
The vicar will make the sign of the cross on your child’s forehead. It’s a significant moment, which marks your child as belonging to God. Water, which is blessed in the church’s font, will be poured over your child’s head by the vicar. This is your child’s baptism.
Everyone promises to continue to support your child as they grow in God’s family and in the faith of the Church.
A candle will be given to you in the service when the vicar says “Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God.”
The candle is given at a separate service at 10:30 am we will arrange the date of this service before the baptism itself.
What happens after the baptism?
It’s good to find time to pray for and with your child. Simple prayers at bedtime or meal times to: thank God for the good things; say sorry when we get things wrong, and to share with God the things we are worried about.
You can find out more about the Christian faith in the explore our faith section of this site
If you haven't booked your child's baptism already click here to book it
Find articles, Podcasts and Videos about:
How to being to pray
What are the basics of the Christian Story
Don’t be a stranger’, come and meet with your new church family at one of our family-friendly services or activities and on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a baptism and christening? None. They are the same thing. In church, we normally say
baptism.
I'm not a regular churchgoer. Can I still have my child baptised? The church believes that God loves everybody and all are welcome into his family. However, at the baptism you will make public promises on behalf of your child. If you are not sure, do speak to one of the church team. It may be that a Thanksgiving Service feels better for you now. You can still have a baptism later, when you are have decided whether you want to make the public promises that are involved.
What is the right age for baptism? Baptism can happen at any age. What matters is that you believe it is the right thing to do. Teenagers and adults may also be baptised - you can ask the team about this.
What does it cost? The baptism service is free.
What are godparents for? Godparents make the same promises as parents to help raise your child in the Christian faith, as part of the church family. It is an important and responsible role.