Baptism. What you need to know.
Thinking About Baptism at St Saviour’s Church?
Many families choose to bring their little ones to church for a special service because they recognise that their child is not only deeply loved by them, but also by God and the wider church family. The Bible speaks of God knowing each baby even before they are born – even knowing the number of hairs on their head. We believe with you that your child is a precious gift, and we would love to celebrate with you and thank God for bringing them into your family.
Baptism or Thanksgiving?
The Church of England has certain requirements that must be met before a child can be baptised. These are outlined below.
If, after reading this, you decide not to pursue baptism at this time, we would be pleased to offer a Service of Thanksgiving and Prayers of Dedication during a Sunday morning service instead.
What’s Involved in Preparing for Baptism?
Your Journey with Us
We’re so excited that you’re considering baptism and want to share this journey with you. At St Saviour’s, we’re committed to supporting you as you help your child learn about God and begin to grow in a relationship with Him.
If you're not already regular members of St Saviour’s, we ask that you attend church at least twice a month for three months before the baptism. This allows us to get to know each other and to share in your child’s spiritual development.
We know coming to church for the first time (or after a while) can feel daunting – but we hope you’ll find a warm welcome. Our 10:30am Sunday services last just over an hour and include groups for children.
Parents will be asked to attend one or two baptism preparation sessions. These may be with other families or individually, depending on your circumstances.
A baptism date will be arranged once you’ve been attending church for a while. We’ll decide together what date works best. The service itself includes songs, a Bible reading, prayers, a short talk, and the baptism. Afterwards, there are refreshments for everyone.
Additional Information
Godparents
Each child being baptised needs at least three godparents. At least two should be the same gender as the child.
Parents can also act as godparents.
All godparents must have been baptised themselves.
Details of their baptisms (where and when) should be included on the application form.
Godparents are welcome to attend the preparation sessions.
Baptism Promises
During the service, parents and godparents will be asked to make some important promises and declarations. A copy of the service wording is available from the vicar if you’d like to read it in advance.
Photography
Photography is not permitted during the service, but you are very welcome to take photos afterwards.