How Do I Go About Getting my Baby Baptised or Christened?

Baptisms take place during our normal Sunday service which starts at 10.00am.

The first thing to do is come to church. In the service, the church promises to welcome your child, pray for them and support them in their journey with God and you will promise to draw your child "by your example into the community of faith" and help them to take their "place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church." In other words, you are saying that you want your child to be part of the local church and for the local church to play a part in the life of your child as they grow up. We therefore believe that you need to see what we're like and what we do. You wouldn’t send your child to a school or club without checking it out first, would you?

Then we will need to arrange to meet with you to talk about your faith, what baptism means, the baptism service and how we can help you to fulfil those promises that you will make in the service.

As we are a partnership between the Church of England and the Baptist Church, our constitution requires us to ensure that you are aware of the variety of ways of marking your child’s birth and introducing them to the Christian faith. Our aim is not to change your mind but to make sure you understand what you are asking for and the implications of the promises you make. Obviously we will also arrange the date of the baptism and discuss the practicalities of godparents, etc.

How Much Does It Cost?

There is no charge for baptisms. Each Sunday, we do take an offering during the service and you are welcome to contribute to that if you wish.

What if We Don't Feel We Can Make Those Promises?

That's not a problem. We would rather you were honest and we suspect that God prefers you to be real with Him too. After all, the Bible is pretty clear that he knows our thoughts and our hearts and wants us to walk with him with integrity.

The church can offer you other ways for you to celebrate the birth of your child amongst your friends and family but without making commitments that you feel you are unable to keep. Talk to us about Thanksgiving and Dedication Services.

What if an Adult Wants to Be Baptised?

That's not a problem, although to be baptised as an adult ('believer's baptism' as some traditions call it) we would expect you to have a greater understanding of and commitment to the Christian faith. Again you will need to start coming to the Ladygrove Church first and then we can arrange to meet up with you to talk about where you are in your walk with God, your options and the declarations that you will be making.

But I Want my Child Baptised At Another Church

That’s not a problem. While a child is usually baptised in the parish where they live, we realise that you may have close family ties with another church somewhere. But please contact us to let us know of your plans.