Baptism is a very special occasion in a person’s journey of faith and we are delighted you wish to take that step with us here at Barrowby. It is the act by which a man or woman, having openly declared a trust in Jesus Christ and a desire to follow him, is joined to the Christian family, the Church. It is a commitment to Jesus Christ, to the life, fellowship and worship of the Church. It recognises the gift from God of new life in Christ. vows

Although baptism normally requires a personal act of faith and commitment, the Church of England does accept for baptism those who are not yet old enough to do this, on the understanding that the child will receive a Christian upbringing within the family of Christ’s Church.

As Baptism involves making promises before God we ask that you:

· Take part in Baptism preparation. (We offer a home-based faith refresher course for Parents and Godparents and we would strongly ask you to consider this as a way of understanding your child’s baptism.)

· Meet the requirements about godparents and sponsors. (For more information please our FAQs below.)

· Come to the main Sunday service for at least four Sundays before the Baptism so that you feel "at home" in our church community.

If however, when you have read all the information, you don't feel you are quite ready to make the promises the service of Baptism requires; we would be delighted to organise a Thanksgiving Service.

Thanksgiving Service

This is a wonderful way to celebrate a new life within a family, to say "Thank You" for a small person given by God to be loved, nurtured and enjoyed. You will have an opportunity to name your child within the service and the Minister taking the service will bless the child and pray for the family. However, the parents are not required to make any promises as in a Baptism service. If you decide on a Thanksgiving Service now, your child can be baptised later on, if you, or they, decide that it's right to make that commitment.

Baptism FAQs

When do you hold Baptism Services and how much do they cost?

Currently we hold Baptisms after or Holy Communion Service on the 2nd Sunday of each month but from 2024 we will be holding Baptism services four times a year at during one of our 10am Morning Praise Services. There is no charge.

We sometimes have more than one Baptism for any one service, so to be fair to everyone, numbers for guests are limited to 35 per party.

How do we go about booking a Baptism?

The basic rule in the Church of England is that if you want to be baptised yourself or to have your child baptised, the right place to do it is in your local parish church. This means that if you don't live in Barrowby parish or don't already worship with us you, should approach the local parish church where you live. If you don't know which church that is, please click on the A Church Near You tab above and enter your postcode in the search box. 

However, if you have a special reason for wanting the service to be at Barrowby, such as your parents live in the village and worship with us at All Saints, then please get in touch.

If you don't already worship with us, we hope that you will become part of our church family, and we look forward to welcoming you. Our monthly Families Services are particularly suitable if you have young children.

Is there a waiting list?

Not usually,  but we normally arrange the baptism date for the next available service after your inquiry in order to give you the opportunity to attend church a few times.

What are the requirements for Godparents?

Children who are baptised in the Church of England traditionally have at least 3 Godparents, at least 2 of whom should be the same sex as the child. However, the rules do say that ‘when three cannot conveniently be had’, one Godfather and one Godmother will do.

Before asking friends and relatives to be Godparents, please note...

*It is not obligatory to have Godparents. However, if you are choosing Godparents please bear in mind that this is a spiritual role - including regularly praying for your child. People without an active Christian faith are unlikely to be able to fulfill their responsibilities to your child.

*Godparents must themselves be baptised, and usually confirmed - or the equivalent in other denominations. Please add the contact name of your local church minister to the registration form.

With all this in mind if you or your small person would like to be Baptised, please contact our parish administrator via [email protected], to arrange a date. Please remember to include a contact telephone number.

Whatever you decide we hope we will see you soon, please remember to keep an eye on this site and our Facebook page for details of current service times and other "events."