Baptism

This parish has an open Baptism policy, in that anyone living in the parish is eligible to be baptised in our church, once they have been prepared for this important event. This preparation will be tailored to the individual family. Those living outside the parish, but who have a close connection with the church or community, may be baptised here after consultation with the rector, who will ask them to get agreement from the vicar of their home parish.

There is no charge for either service.

Who to contact

Anyone wanting a Thanksgiving or Baptism will be asked to contact the Church Administrator who will pass the information onto the person responsible for Baptisms. Arrangements will then be made for an initial meeting with someone from the Baptism team. Contact will normally be made within 14 days.

Infant/child

For infant/child Baptism a member of the Baptism team will discuss the commitment required and the organisation of the service, over a number of meetings.

Older children

For older children, who are able to answer for themselves, there will be appropriate preparation to ensure that they are able to understand the promises that they are going to make.

If possible, the godparents should be included in the preparation to ensure that they understand the duties and commitment involved. Godparents must be baptised and should, ideally, be confirmed, with a strong Christian faith.

Adults

Adults considering Baptism should speak to James, the Rector, and will be required to undertake Baptism preparation.

Baptism is a public event, so will take place at a Sunday service, normally the All Age Service, but this can be discussed with the rector. It is the whole church that welcomes each new member, whether child or adult. It is not our practice to conduct private Baptisms, except for overwhelming pastoral reasons.

Contacts

Contact for Baptism (Christening) or Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child:

Clergy contact details: Rev'd James Pennington Email: james.pennington@htdchurch.org