BAPTISMS

What is Baptism for children not old enough to understand?

Being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the beginning of Christian life and makes a person a member of the Church. When a child is baptized, godparents (including parents) make a public commitment to raise the child as a Christian within the family of the Church. This means they promise to teach the child the Christian faith and to impress upon her the importance of attending worship. Consequently, we expect all those enquiring about baptism for their child to have started attending Church services before the baptism takes place so that they come to know something of the family of faith the child is being made a member of. As Church attendance continues to decline nationally, people know less about the Christian faith and the significance of baptism. Baptism is not necessarily about giving the child a name - that is done when the child’s birth is registered with the civil authority. Baptism is about Christian faith and Church membership. Parents and godparents should think very carefully about their own faith and about the solemn promises they will make at the child’s baptism before they go forward with planning the actual baptism itself.

Baptisms usually take place on Sundays within the main Sunday service which begins at 10.30am and lasts about an hour.

Please contact the Vicar to discuss further.

We welcome enquiries about Baptism from anyone in the parish of South Elmsall and North Elmsall. We suggest that those wanting to be baptized (or have their child baptized) attend church on a Sunday morning at 9.00am in North Elmsall or 10.30am in South Elmsall so that they can find out more about the service and to underline the importance of the step which Baptism represents.