St Mary Magdalene, Great Hampden
Sunday 11.15am
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Arranging a Baptism at Great Hampden
We are delighted that you have chosen to have your child baptised (or christened, as it is also known) with us. We believe that as your church we have an important role to play in welcoming members of our community into church to mark the important events of life.
The service of baptism allows us an opportunity to share with you in the joy of the gift of children and to thank God at the start of their lives. Baptisms range from large celebrations involving lots of family and friends to small, intimate occasions. Whatever the size of the baptism we will work with you to make it something special to remember as God’s love for your child is made known. The baptism will be arranged with you as a family; we don’t baptise groups of people together. Baptisms often take place in the main Sunday Service at 11.15am. If a baptism doesn’t happen at the main Sunday service, it usually happens in a special private ceremony at 12.30pm.
We want you and your guests to feel welcomed into the church. You sit wherever you like, and you don’t need to worry about what is happening next or when to stand up and sit down—at most baptisms we have a specially produced order of service where everything everybody needs to know is clearly laid out.
Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God that continues for the rest of our lives.
In the service we use symbols to paint a picture of what baptism means.
There is the sign of the cross, the badge of faith, which reminds us how Christ died for us.
There is the water, which is a sign of life. We cannot live without water, and we use it to wash with. Water in baptism represents the cleansing and refreshing love of God.
There is oil—a sealing with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a sign of blessing.
There is a candle, lit to remind us of the light of Christ, which banishes the darkness of evil. It also reminds us that we walk in the light of Christ for the rest of our lives.
Baptism means accepting the way of Jesus Christ as a pattern for living and accepting his help to live a generous life and not a self-centred one
Arranging a Baptism
The first thing to do is contact the church. It’s a good idea to have a few dates in your mind at this point. We will arrange a meeting where the date and time of the baptism will be confirmed and the various options and choices explained. We’ll talk about the service, and answer any questions you have about godparents, or any other aspect of the ceremony.
We would also usually have a meeting the week before the baptism, where we go through the order of service together. This is the best way to think about what baptism means and to answer any questions you might have.
At the Baptism
At the baptism your child is given a certificate and a baptismal candle, to remind them that Christ’s light is always with them. Then, or at a special service later on, we will present your child with a Bible—the good news of God’s love.
Baptisms can take place in the main Sunday Service at 11.15am. This means that as well as your family and friends you will be inviting the whole congregation to take part in the service. The baptism will be arranged with you as a family in mind; we don’t baptise groups of people together.
There is no formal charge for the baptism, however we invite families to sponsor the following:
Orders of Service (up to 100 copies) £20.00
Baptism Cards and Candles £10.00
Flowers £30.00
Music sponsorship of music in church £50.00
Contribution towards heating, lighting and church upkeep £40.00
Please note we ask that these items will be covered by a special donation by you, they are not sold services and represent our costs of provision.
No one is excluded from the life and ministry of our church for financial reasons. In any case of financial need please speak to the Rector or the minister arranging your service.
If you are able to contribute a little bit more to support the ongoing life and ministry of the church we would be most grateful. Similarly if you are a UK tax payer and able to Gift Aid your donation that will help us at no extra cost to yourselves.