All Saints Church

We are pleased that you are thinking of Baptism for your child, or indeed yourself. This page tries to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Baptism at All Saints. (Christening and Baptism are the same thing, just different names for the same service.)

If you would like to book a Baptism, please come along to All Saints between 7.30pm and 8.30pm to meet your Vicar Ian and discuss arrangements for a 2010 Baptism:

6th Jan

3rd Feb

3rd March

14th April

5th May

9th June

7th July

8th September

6th October

3rd November

1st December

Contact the Church Office if you need more information

I'm not a regular churchgoer. Can I still have my child baptized?

The Church believes that God loves everybody. Ask the Vicar about all the options for your child. Maybe a Thanksgiving service feels right for you now. You can still have a Baptism later, when you've decided whether you want to make the public promises Baptism involves. The Vicar can help you while you make that decision.

When will the service be?

Baptisms are usually on a Sunday and normally take place as part of our morning Holy Communion service at 10am. Baptisms are usually booked 2 or 3 months in advance.

What is the service like?

The 10am Service our main service of the day. There will be hymns/songs, a talk and communion, lasting about an hour and fifteen minutes. Children are welcome at all our services.

The Vicar will visit you before the service to talk in more detail about what happens during the service and to show you a 10 minute DVD all about Baptism. You will also be asked to attend a short course (3 weeks) which explains the meaning of Baptism in more detail.

What about Godparents?

Godparents make promises with the parents, for the child and for themselves. Godparents should all have been Baptised, and they should be adults. They should be people who will be around for your child, people who might be able to help them as they grow and learn, especially to help them grow in faith. There is no magic number of godparents: once you have the right people, then that is the right number.

What if I don't usually go to church?

At the Baptism, Parents and Godparents make promises on behalf of a child whilst, if you are older and able to answer for yourself, you will be asked to make your own promises..

Parents bringing a child for Baptism promise to bring the child up "as a Christian within the family of the church." You might want to ask yourself if this is the moment to deepen your own spiritual life.

The decision on Baptism is up to the parent; we will explain the promises, but we won't "test" you or judge you. Some parents simply want to give thanks for the birth of their child and celebrate the new life, There is a service called "Thanksgiving" if you would prefer.

What is a "Thanksgiving Service"?

Sometimes parents want to give thanks for the birth of their child and to celebrate the new life, but do not want Baptism (maybe because they cannot make the promises in good conscience, or so that their children can choose for themselves when they are older). In this case there is a service called "Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child" that we can offer. If you want to know more about this, get in touch.

What if we are not married, or are divorced, or a one parent family?

We understand that families come in all shapes and sizes. We try not to judge or discriminate and are honoured that you want to be with us on this important day in the life of your child.

What about Adult Baptism?

We are thrilled that you are considering being Baptised. Please phone Rev. Ian and he will be pleased to discuss with you the details.

Can we take pictures/videos

Yes. If you want us to pose for photos after the service, then that is fine too, just ask.

How much does it cost?

There is no fee for the Baptism itself. There will be a collection plate at the service and if anyone wants to make a donation to the work of All Saints then we welcome that.