Baptisms are where we welcome new people (children or adults) into the church community, as an outward public declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ and as an outward sign of the death and resurrection that they have undergone with Jesus when they believe in him. Because it's a public declaration, we have baptisms in our Sunday services, with the rest of our congregation. Promises are made and received on behalf of children, by parents, godparents, the church community, and from God himself. The central text of the service can be viewed here.

If you're interested in having a baptism at St Peter's or St Paul's, Lynchmere and Camelsdale, please download an application form. After having read this carefully and completed what you can, ring us to make an initial appointment for you and your child(ren) and to ask some initial questions.

 

It may be that at that meeting you decide to have a Thanksgiving for a very young child instead. This also takes place in a main service but does not require godparents nor the promises that have to be made at baptism. The text of the service can be viewed here. It also allows the child to come to their own faith in the fullness of time, when they can choose for themselves to be baptised.

After baptism, we encourage parents to keep participating in church life, and we have a number of groups for children, including the Little Humphreys Club for toddlers and their parents.

For more information, or if you'd like to ask us any questions, do get in touch. The Church of England website has more information about baptism in the Anglican church on this page.