Baptism Fact
Sheet
Holy Baptism in the Church of England
In baptism, you as parents are thanking God
for his gift of life,
deciding to start your child on the journey of faith and asking for the
Church's support.
For your child, baptism marks the start of a journey of faith, which
involves turning away from the darkness of self-centredness, turning
towards Christ and becoming a member of the local and worldwide
Christian family.
Baptism is a 'sacrament': a visible sign of God's love. In baptism, we
are thanking God for His gift of life and publicly acknowledging his
love.
We are acknowledging that we all need to turn away from the
darkness of evil and to make a new start with God.
Shouldn't our children make their own
decisions?
Some people worry that they are imposing views
on their children; but
from the moment they are born, you make choices on their behalf. You
don't wait until they are old enough to ask for milk before you feed
them and in the same way it is right to give them spiritual nourishment
and teach them about the love of God from an early age. When they are
old enough they may choose to be confirmed and to make an adult
affirmation of faith.
However, you may wish to talk over any doubts
and concerns you have
with the priest at St. Francis who will be
happy to help.
When did baptism start?
Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan. This
was a turning point in his
life (you can read the story in the Bible: at the beginning of Mark's
Gospel in the New Testament). Jesus told his followers to baptise
others as a sign that they had turned away from their old life, and
begun a new life as Christ’s disciples, members of his body, having
been assured of God’s forgiveness.
Baptisms often took place in a river: New
Christians were dipped under
the water, marking their death to an old way of life, and lifted up
again as a sign of new birth. Some churches still follow the practice
of full immersion in water today. At St Francis Church we use the Font
in the church.
What happens in the Baptism service?
Your child's baptism will normally take place
during the main Sunday
service at 11.00 a.m. This is so that your child can be seen to be
joining the family of the Church and be welcomed into membership. In
turn, the Church will promise to support and pray for you and your
child.
There will be room for all your family and
friends to join you
on your child's special day. Some parts of the service will be for the
whole congregation to join in, some will be for you and the godparents.
For the baptism itself, parents and godparents
will be asked to make
declarations on behalf of the child.
A number of important symbols will be
used during the service itself:
The sign of the cross:
The priest
will make the sign of the cross on
your child's forehead. This is like an invisible badge to show that
Christians are united with Christ and must not be ashamed to stand up
for their faith in him.
Water: The
priest will pour water
on your child's head. Water is a sign
of washing and cleansing. In baptism it is a sign of being washed free
from sin and beginning a new life with God. Water is a sign of life,
but also a symbol of death. When we are baptised our old life is buried
in the waters and we are raised to new life with Christ.
Anointing: After
baptism in water,
the child is anointed with oil. This
is a sign of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit.
Candles: Jesus
is called the light
of the world. A large candle will be
lit in the church and you will be given a lighted candle at the end of
the service as a reminder of the light which has come into your child's
life. It is up to you, the child's godparents and the church community
to help your child reject the world of darkness and follow a way of
life that reflects goodness and light, and shares this light with
others.
What's the difference between a baptism and a christening?
None, they are just different words for the same thing.
Can we have a
private service of baptism?
Baptisms usually take place in the church's
main service, because they
are a public declaration that your child has become part of the church
family. It is important that the church congregation is there to
support you and welcome your child. However, if personal circumstances
make this difficult, talk to your parish priest.
What is the right age
for baptism?
Baptism can happen at any age. What matters is
that those concerned
believe it is right to ask for baptism. Teenagers and adults may also
be baptised - speak to the priest about this. When this happens baptism
is celebrated with confirmation by the Bishop. You can only be baptised
once, but there are ways of renewing your commitment publicly as an
adult - the priest will be happy to discuss this with you.
I'm not a regular churchgoer. Can I
still have my child baptised?
Yes. The Church believes that God's love is
available to all,
regardless of their background.
You may also wish to find out more about the
Christian faith and what
joining the Church involves before you make a decision about baptism.
Again, the priest can talk with you about this.
What does it cost?
The Baptism service is free.
Can I offer a financial thanksgiving
for
the Baptism?
Yes of course. If you wish to make a financial offering for the
baptism, this will help to cover the costs of keeping the church in
good repair. This will also help to keep the building open for when
your grandchildren are brought for baptism. Ideally this offering
should be Gift Aided in one of the special blue envelopes for this
purpose at the back of the church. Ask the priest for an envelope if
you haven't already got one.
What is a Godparent?
Godparents make the same promises on behalf of
the child being baptised
as parents. Godparents promise to pray and support the child and to
help the parents to bring up the child in the Christian faith. It is an
important and responsible role.
How many Godparents should I have?
Normally you should have at least three: two
of the same sex as the
child and one of the opposite sex. Parents can also be godparents. It
is possible to have more than three Godparents.
Who should I choose to be a Godparent?
Godparents can be family members or friends.
However, it is important
that you choose people who will take an interest in your child's
spiritual welfare and who will pray for you and your child. They should
be baptised themselves. It is a good thing if you can find Godparents
that have a Church connection.
How do I book a Baptism?
The Church of St. Francis keeps a diary of
future services. Please
contact the parish priest in the first instance to arrange a time when
you can meet with him/her to arrange a date for the service and discuss
details (Telephone 07913 918534).
What happens after the baptism?
Baptism marks a new start for your child, as a
member of the worldwide
Christian community. In turn, the Church welcomes you and your child
and promises to support you in bringing the child up in the faith. Most
churches have services where children are welcome and special groups
and activities for them. It is our policy at St. Francis to invite the
baptised and their family to any special events that are taking place
at Church.
We hope your baby's baptism will be a
wonderful and
memorable occasion and that it will mark the beginning of a long and
happy association with St. Francis Church.
Our thanks to St. Hilda's Church, Ashford, whose fact sheet we have
adapted.
