Introduction
At St John’s Church we count it a great privilege to be able to welcome children into God’s family through baptism. So we want to say a big thank you for wanting to explore baptism either for your child or for yourself.
This booklet and our short baptism course is designed to help you unpack the meaning of baptism as you explore this important issue.
Introducing our Church
At St John’s we welcome people of all ages and backgrounds, and our desire is to help each person know Jesus Christ more fully. The life of our church is expressed in many ways and we hope that through our Sunday services there will opportunities for you to gain a sense of belonging at St John’s . We particularly want to welcome those who are new to church and we often find that our Family Communion services, held on the first Sunday of each month at 11am, are a great place to start.
During all of our other church services there is a ‘Junior Church’ where children of primary school age can have fun whilst learning more about the Christian faith. This is held in the church hall during part of the 11am Service.
What is Baptism?
It is helpful to think about baptism as an opportunity to make some important promises. For a child’s baptism, there are promises that are made by the parents and godparents; to do your best to bring your child up as a Christian (someone who follows Jesus).
The whole church family will also make a promise to help and support you. But most importantly in baptism God also makes amazing promises to us. In baptism God promises to forgive us from the things that we do wrong, he promises us a fresh start, he promises that we can be in a relationship with him and become part of his family, the church. And he promises his Holy Spirit so that we can be assured of his presence in our lives at all times.
The promises that parents and godparents make are made on behalf of your child and in baptism service we pray that one day when they are older they will want to stand up for themselves to confirm these baptism vows. This is called Confirmation.
The Symbolism of Baptism
Water is a sign of cleansing and also a sign of life. In baptism the water symbolises how we are all washed clean by God and forgiven and accepted by him.
As we cannot live without water, so baptism reminds us that we also need the cleansing and renewing presence of God in our lives.
The minister will make a sign of the cross on the forehead of the one being baptised. This reminds us of how Christ died for all on the cross. The cross is the badge of faith, to remind us that we must not be ashamed to talk about our faith and fight against all that is evil.
Godparents
Being asked to be a godparent is always a real privilege and shows that you have a special place in the family. There are however expectations and responsibilities too.
You are asked to promise that you will love and encourage the child in the Christian faith by prayer, example and teaching. Parents should not feel pressurised to choose the wrong people but try to find people who can make the promises and mean them.
Parents were once advised that they should choose three godparents for their baby, two of the same sex of the child. But actually there is no right or wrong number; have as many or few as you wish—although we would generally recommend not more than four.
Belonging to Church
As Baptism marks your child’s welcome into the family of the church it is, of course, important that you get to know us here at St John’s.
For this reason, for families who don’t already come to St John’s regularly, we expect you to come along for four or five services before we set a time to explore baptism together at a preparation session.
Our hope is that by coming along and finding out more about the Christian faith and us as a church, your child’s baptism will have much greater significance and you will feel part of our family.
The Baptism Service
When will the baptism take place?
Baptisms normally take place on the first Sunday of the month in our All Age service at 11am. We are sometimes asked if a family can have a private baptism but in baptism we are welcoming your child into the family of the church and so it would be strange if no one from the church family was there! The service is carefully designed to be suitable for all ages and the atmosphere is informal and relaxed.
What Promises Do I Need to Make?
In the baptism service the parents and godparents, or older candidate will be asked to stand up and declare their own Christian faith. We recognise that nobody has a perfect faith but it is important that you can answer honestly. The questions asked are:
• Do you turn to Christ?
• Do you repent of your sins?
• Do you renounce evil?
These questions reflect your intentions to turn away from a life without God and turn to Christ. There are also questions about what you believe. These are:
• Do you believe and trust in God the Father who made the world?
• Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ who redeemed mankind?
• Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God?
Each time you will be asked to respond by saying, “I believe and trust in him”. It is of course important that you are comfortable answering these questions with sincerity and only you can truthfully know that.
As part of the baptism preparation session you’ll have an opportunity to explore these promises.
In addition to declaring your own faith you also promise that you will bring your child up in a Christian home and set an example to your child through your prayers and attending church.
Some people find that they’re unable to make these promises which we fully understand. We then like to offer a service of thanksgiving where we will thank God for the birth of your child.
The Baptism Preparation Session
Before a baptism takes place, we like to spend some time getting to know you and helping you explore what baptism means. Preparation usually takes place in an informal meeting either at church or in your home, whichever is most convenient.
You are very welcome to invite godparents to join the conversation so that they can feel part of the journey too.
During the meeting we will talk about the meaning of baptism, why families choose to have their children baptised, and how you can encourage your child in faith as they grow within your family and the church community.
These conversations are relaxed and informal, and there will always be an opportunity to ask questions.
A Fresh Start
Sometimes having a child and getting them baptised can remind us of how much we have let our own Christian life slip. Baptism can be a great opportunity to affirm our trust in God and to make a fresh start.
We hope that the welcome you receive at St John’s will encourage you to attend regularly after the baptism.
We understand the effort that is involved for parents with young children to get organised and make a habit of going to church but we can assure you the benefits make it worthwhile. Our All Age Service on the first Sunday of each month is especially geared for the needs of young families. In all our services we have crèche facilities and activity packs for older children to use during services. We also have a Junior Church that meets in all services apart from the All Age Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?
There is no charge for a baptism service. At all our services there is an opportunity to give, if you wish, to the work of the church.
Is there a limit to how many people we can invite?
Certainly not! Celebrating a baptism is a great time for the family to come together and we welcome everyone to the service. If you anticipate having more than 40 guests please mention this to the minister so we can plan accordingly.
What is a Thanksgiving Service?
A Thanksgiving Service provides an opportunity to thank God for your child and ask for his blessing on the child. We also pray for God’s help for you as parents as you seek to bring up your child to the best of your abilities. If you are unsure of your own Christian faith the Thanksgiving Service is probably more appropriate.
What do we do next?
Come along to four or five Sunday services (the 11am service is the most suitable), then contact the minister or church administrator: admin@stjohnscorby.org.uk and we will be in touch to arrange a meeting with a minister for baptism preparation.