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Baptisms

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St. Botolph’s and St Mark's Church welcomes children into its congregation and Baptism (Christening) is the way they are committed to growing up as Christians and members of the church.

Having your child baptised involves commitments by you and the church. If you accept the commitment you and the Godparents will agree to:

· Pray for the child each day.

· Encourage the child to grow in wonder and love of Jesus our Lord; to pray; be regular in worship; and belong to a church congregation.

· To lead the child to Confirmation where he or she will own the vows of baptism personally.

If you wish to have your child baptised you should fill in the form opposite and return it to the Vicar.


You will then be invited to a meeting in Church when we will discuss what is involved in Baptism and what will happen at the service


You will be asked to come to an All Age Eucharist(normally at 10 a.m. on the third Sunday of the month). After that service we will agree a date for the Baptism.We normally baptise children on the first Sunday in the month but we do our best to accommodate special requests to meet family commitments.

If you have any queries about these arrangements, please phone Fr Lawrence on 01474 566400.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How many Godparents can we have?

Traditionally there were always three Godparents (two men for a boy and two women for a girl). Nowadays we are more flexible and often parents often choose four. The Godparents must have been baptised so they  are able to help the child grow in the Christian faith.

 

How much does it cost?

There is no charge for baptism.

 

How many guests can I ask to the service?

St Botolph's Church holds about 800 people and St Mark's around 200 so all are welcome. We do have a few rules; please switch of mobile phones and help us by encouraging the children to be quiet during the prayers.

 

Can we take photographs?

We do not allow flash photography during services. However, we do make sure you can photograph everyone by the font after the service.

 

Can we use a video?

We do allow you to use a video during the part of the service when the baptism takes place but we have some rules to ensure the smooth running of the service. We do not allow videos to be used in other parts of the service when the congregation are praying etc. as these are personal times.

 

How many children are baptised at each service?

We try to ensure there are a maximum of two families at each service.