Baptisms

About

Here at St Cuthbert's we regularly baptise Children and have a Baptism Coordinator Janet who will talk you through all elements of the baptism and any questions she cannot answer, Rev'd Laura will be able to help.

We do ask all baptism families to attend Toodles@4pm as part of their preparation and this is a worshiping community that caters to the needs of families with children under the age of 6. It's fun, interactive, and allows people to get to know other families with children of a similar age.

Sunday School 10am within the Sunday service is for Children 6+

For more information and to begin the booking process come along to toodles on each week at 4pm. or come and speak to Janet at any service on a Sunday. Janet is available after 6pm on 07788644196

What is a christening?

During a christening your child will be baptized with water. It’s the start of an amazing journey of faith for your child and a special day for all your friends and family.

Exploring more about what a christening means

Your child is precious to you and precious to God. You want the very best for them, and so does God. You want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.

A christening is just the beginning of this and so much more.

Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child by:

Being there for your child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.
Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.
Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.

So it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on.

Preparing for the big day

Getting ready for your child’s christening is exciting. But there’s also a lot to think about and do. Whether you have done this before or not, read on for some helpful ideas and tips.

It can seem that there is a lot to organize for a christening. But remember the important thing is that you and your family are there on the day to see your child baptized at their christening.

Have a look at what will happen in the service and the words that you will be saying. Janet our Baptism Coordinator will go through the service with you before the day and we also have Gaynor who will meet with you.
It’s a great idea to go along to church services and to our church toddler service called Toodles@4 regualry before and after the day. This is the beginning of a journey of faith for your child and at toodles its fun, interactive and playful (going to church does not need to be boring!) coming to Toodles before the day means that you can meet some of the people who are also raising their toddlers in the faith and will be some of the children no doubt attending Emmaus school too. Some of them might be thinking about having a christening too, or have already had their child christened and will also talk you through the day with you.
Enjoy the party – a key part of the day is being with family and friends.
Think about what you and your child are going to wear. Many parents like their child to have a traditional christening gown, but it’s not compulsory and there may be a special outfit that they’d be more comfortable in – that’s fine. Like any celebration event, many families like to dress up for the occasion too. There are no hard and fast rules – choose what you’ll be happy and comfortable wearing on the day.
Get in touch with your godparents and tell them what will be happening. They might like to know about this website.
Don’t forget photos – your child will be able to look back on them when they’re older and talk to you about what their christening means. We try to do pictures at the end so that you can truly enjoy and immerse yourself in the day and the worship rather than through the angle of the camera of a phone.
Why not take a few moments to think about your child and your family. Ask God to be close to all of you as you start this amazing journey of faith. You might like to pop into church to light a candle and say a prayer or light a virtual one online just go to www.churchofengland.org/lifeevents/christenings/christening-service-step-by-step

Choosing godparents

Godparents are really important. Choosing them is one of the biggest decisions you will make. Whether you are still thinking or have already asked some special friends, discover more about what it means to be or have godparents. Whether you have questions about gifts or want to explore the promises, there are answers to your questions here.

Choosing the right people as godparents for your child is a big decision. Here are some key things which might help you decide:

Because of the very special role godparents have in supporting your child’s faith journey, they must be baptized themselves. Ideally, they should be confirmed too, but please speak to Rev Laura about this at Toodles
If the people who you'd like to be godparents aren't baptized, they can still be involved in the christening service and in your child's life as they grow up. They can even be baptised before or on the day themselves speak to the vicar about this who'll be pleased to advise.
Godparents will be people who’ll be in touch with your family for many years to come. They may be relatives or friends of the family.
They’ll be people who you know you can trust and who’ll be there for your child to talk about the bigger questions in life; questions about faith, hope and love.
They should feel ready to make some big promises about faith for your child in church.
it's traditional for every child to have at least three godparents, two of the same sex and at least one of the opposite sex to your child. Although there is no official maximum number of godparents, three or four is usual. If you’d like more than that, talk to your Rev Laura about the practicalities and they’ll be pleased to advise however more than 4 would be an exception to the rule.
Parents may be godparents for their own children, providing they have at least one other godparent.
If you’re thinking about asking someone who is under 18 to be a godparent, talk to your vicar first. There’s no minimum age for godparents, but they must be mature enough to understand the responsibilities they’re taking on; your vicar can help you decide if this is the right choice for your child and the young godparent.

You can talk to your vicar about choosing godparents and involving them in the christening preparation too.

The role of a godparent

Godparents are really special. They are not just special on the day but special for a child’s life, even when they are grown-up themselves. It’s a life-long commitment which will involve special times and treats, but much more as well. Discover more about what it means to be a good godparent here.

Godparents are among the most important people at a christening, who make big promises to encourage their godchild to grow in faith and commit to helping them understand how to live their life in a Christian way.

Alongside your godchild’s parents, you will

Give your time to your godchild to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
Model and encourage them to develop Christian values – being kind and compassionate towards others, being generous towards others in need with time or money and standing against things in the world that cause injustice and suffering. They should also be regular church goers either in the Church of England, Catholic or methodist churches so that they can model the faith of the church to the child.
Pray for your godchild through the ups and downs of their life and their faith journey.
Show them practically how to make good choices in life, for themselves and for others. This might mean talking to them about how to stay healthy, how to resist temptations that can harm us and other people, how to care for God’s amazing world and how to handle peer pressure as they grow older.
Help them to learn more about the Christian faith, through their church and in other ways. Going to church with them, talking about what the Bible shows us and helping them learn how to pray are all brilliant ways to support your godchild.

It’s a demanding role, but help is always at hand, through your church, online, and of course from God, who will bless all you do to help your godchild.

Vision

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