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Baptism (Christening)

Baptism marks the beginning of a lifelong journey with God which must continue for the rest of our lives. It is a response to an experience of God's saving love.

Baptism is a very special act of Christian worship which is reserved for practicing Christians and, in our tradition, their children.

If you aren’t a practising Christian (or you don’t agree with baby baptism) but would still like to thank God for the gift of your child then you might like to consider a service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child instead. 

Baby baptism (sometimes called Christening)

Baby baptism looks forward in faith to a future day when the child being baptised will become a Christian and follow Jesus for themselves. It’s a picture of a future hope.

We baptise babies by sprinkling them with water in the hope that, one day, they will experience new birth through a work of the Holy Spirit in their life.

Here are some “frequently asked questions” about having your child baptised at Holy Trinity Weston.

Q. I’d like to have my child baptised, can I book over the phone or email?
A. No. Planning your child’s baptism involves a process of preparation which starts by coming to church. Bookings are taken at the end of this preparation process, not before. 

Q. What does the preparation process for baby baptism involve?
A. It has two elements:

  • Coming to church: we ask those seeking the baptism of an infant to join us week by week to learn more about God’s love and what it means to follow Jesus.
  • Meeting with the minister: we ask those seeking the baptism of an infant to meet with the minister for a one-off chat about the meaning of baptism.

Q. How long does the preparation process take?
A. It all depends on you. Some families settle into church life quickly, while others take more time. You will need to choose the right level of involvement for your family – and we are happy to help you along the way.

Q. Do I have to keep bringing my child to church after the baptism?
A. Yes. At a child’s baptism service, you promise to help them take their place within the life and worship of the church. Keeping this promise will involve coming to church regularly with your child.

Q. Do I have to attend church every week?
A. Preferably yes, because baptism is for the children of practising Christians. The important thing is to develop a routine which works best for you and your family. This might be weekly, fortnightly or even monthly, but it should be a regular routine in your life.

Q. What do I do next?
A. Come to church and have a chat with the minister after an informal 10.30am Sunday service.

Q. My children can be noisy; will I be welcome?
A. Of course! We’ve got lots of noisy children at Holy Trinity, and there’s always room for more! However, if you feel embarrassed at any point you can always take your child to another room to let off steam.

Adult baptism (sometimes called Believer's Baptism)

Adult baptism looks backward in faith to the day the person being baptised actually became a Christian and started to follow Jesus. It’s a picture of a present reality.

We baptise adults by immersing (i.e. dunking) them in water to celebrate the fact that that they have experienced new birth through a work of the Holy Spirit in their life.

We only baptise adults who are active members of our congregation.