Baptism (Christening) and Confirmation

Baptism (sometimes referred to as ‘Christening’) is a ceremony in which a person joins the Christian Church, not just the Church of England, but the whole Church of God. It is a beginning rather than an end and indicates a commitment to trying to live a Christian life. It is a sacrament, which means an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace, and its sign is washing with water, recalling Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan.

A baptism service requires serious promises to be made by or parents and godparents, or, in the case of an older child or adult, by the person themselves. Godparents must have been baptised themselves, and parents and godparents will be asked in the service to publicly declare their belief in God and desire to follow the teachings of Jesus.

If these undertakings feel more than you are able in conscience to make, we would be happy to offer a thanksgiving service instead. It is our genuine intention never to turn anyone away.
Baptism of Frances Bartlett

Thanksgiving for a Child

The Church of England also offers a service of Thanksgiving for a Child. This would usually be included within a main Sunday service but, if there is good reason, could be held at another time. It is shorter than a christening and does not involve godparents but includes prayers of thanksgiving as well as other prayers for the child and parents.

Adult Baptism

If you were not baptised as a child, you may still be baptised as an adult to show your commitment to the Christian faith. Often it will be appropriate for baptism to take place at the same time as Confirmation, the occasion when those baptised as children wish to affirm those promises for themselves.

Confirmation

Confirmation marks the point in the Christian journey at which a person, who has previously been baptised, affirms for him or herself the faith into which they have been baptised and the intention to live a life of committed discipleship.

A confirmation is carried out by a bishop who lays hands on the head of and prays over those being confirmed. A confirmation service may take place within the parish or another local church. A candidate would be expected to attend some preparation sessions offered by a minister in the parish or wider benefice.

Contact the Revd Canon Brian Mountford or Revd Lisa Holmes if you would like further information about any of these services.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Livewires (3-7 years)
Encounter (7-11 years)
Katalyst (11-15 years)
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Night Shelter
Foodbank

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)