Many people approach our churches looking for a special service to celebrate the birth of their child. One option for doing this is a service of blessing called a “Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child” which can take place in church, at home or a venue of your choosing. This is a way of saying thank you to God for your son or daughter and it also provides the opportunity for choosing friends or other family members who will pledge themselves to support both you and your child in the years to come. Thanksgivings can be held within our regular services or as a standalone service (by arrangement with the vicar and subject to availability).
Some parents ask for their son or daughter to be baptized. This service, also called a Christening, is a significant first step on a lifelong journey of faith which we hope, in time, will lead to both Holy Communion and Confirmation. As such, baptism marks a new start: a decision to follow Jesus Christ and belong to God’s family, the church. Since baptism is about believing and belonging we anticipate families would attend regularly before a Baptism is arranged. There is also a baptism preparation session which parents are expected to attend (godparents are welcome to attend this session too).
Because baptism is partly about joining the church family, they take place within the main Sunday service. During the vacancy, the availability of baptism dates may be significantly limited, as we rely on the generosity of visiting clergy.
We welcome everyone to take this next important step in their journey of Christian faith. Baptism begins an amazing journey with God and we would love to welcome you to St John’s!
If you’d like to proceed further with exploring baptisms or thanksgiving, please complete this initial enquiry form and either bring it to a service or email it to us at info@shropshirechurches.uk
We look forward to welcoming you!
