Being a Godparent

Baptism is always a very special and happy occasion. Often it’s the first ‘formal’ event in a child’s life, and a chance for the family to celebrate the new arrival together. But Baptism is a lot more than just a chance to say ‘Welcome’ to a new member of the human family. The service is about the child’s relationship to God, and it only fulfils its real meaning when that is understood. I’m sure you’re delighted and honoured to have been asked to be a godparent. But it is also a responsibility and you may be wondering what is expected of you. Baptism is a service of commitment to Jesus Christ. The child is already a member of one family; now we welcome them into another – God’s ‘family’, the family of the Church.
In the baptism service godparents are asked if they are willing to help their god­child by their prayers, by their example and by their teaching, to take their place in the life and worship of Christ’s church. You will also be asked to declare that you reject evil, repent of your sins and turn to Christ, coming to him as the way, the truth and the life.Some godparents will not have had the opportunity to think through these promises in detail and it can sound a little daunting, so if you are unsure about what it all means, please contact us or your own parish priest.The most important thing to understand is that you are promising to seek God’s support in your own life, to follow Jesus Christ’s teaching to the best of your ability and to ask God’s forgiveness when you fail. You make the promises for yourself and as a sign of your willingness to support your god­child in their Christian life.At the baptism itself we will give you a special card in the name of your god­child. We suggest that you don’t put this away in a drawer for safe keeping but keep it on display. It can then act as a reminder for you to think of your godchild as they grow up and ask God to bless them daily.