Baptisms
Baptism? or Thanksgiving Service?
As you start to think seriously about what is involved in the commitment of Baptism you might find these simple questions helpful:
- Do I believe in God?
- Do I believe what Jesus said about God who loves and forgives us all, and helps us to put our lives right?
- And do I want to live the way that Jesus showed - loving God, and loving my neighbours?
- Am I ready to find a space in our lives for my child to find out about God through regular contact with the church?
- Do I really want to follow the Christian faith and turn away from hatred, prejudice, greed, cruelty and selfishness, and teach my children to do the same?
We also offer a Service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of Child which does not ask you to make promises about your belief or commit you to bringing your child to church. It allows you to gather with your family and friends in church, to thank God for your new baby and to ask his blessing. You can choose to nominate special friends or family members who will help you in bringing up your child, and these are named in the service as "supporting friends" or "sponsors".
Arranging a Baptism
St Michael’s covers the districts of Oakridge, Kings Furlong, Brookvale, South View and parts of the town centre (within the Ringway and north of Winchester Road, not including Eastrop). If you live in our area we would be happy to discuss a Baptism service with you – start by coming to meet us on a Sunday, either at the 10.00am service, or at "Time for Children" once a month. You will be invited to attend a Preparation Meeting before the Baptism.
We don’t live in St Michael’s district, can we have our baby baptised there?
We value the close pastoral links we’re able to make with families who come for baptism. If you don’t live in our area then we would normally put you in touch with your local church so that you can meet the community there and make the connection with the minister who serves your area. But if you really want to be part of St Michael’s and introduce your child to Christian faith and worship with us here then we would be delighted to welcome you. We both need to be sure that the relationship with St Michael’s is going to work out and become a really good part of your lives, so we would not be talking about dates for a Baptism until you’re really sure that you’re at home with us here. The main thing is to see the Baptism as part of an on-going relationship with the church you go to, rather than an isolated one-off event.
Arranging a Thanksgiving Service at St Michael’s
We can offer a Thanksgiving Service for families who live within the area covered by St Michael’s. Please contact the Church Office to ask about available dates.