Anglican Church of the Ascension

Baptism with an Orthodox touch

We welcome all children and their families, and we are pleased to receive children into the ongoing life of the church through baptism.  Baptism is the means by which a person of any age is incorporated into the faith community.

What happens in the baptism of an infant or child?

• Parents and God-parents make faith promises on behalf of the child.
• Water is used as a symbol of God’s cleansing and renewing power.
• The child is baptised into the Christian faith in the name of the Trinity:Father , Son and Holy Spirit.
• Parents and God-parents promise to nurture and encourage the child in the Christian faith.
• All at the service welcome and pray for the new member of the Christian community.
• Baptism usually takes place at our 9.30a.m Eucharist on Sunday mornings.

Older children and adults who wish to be baptised are expected to participate in a preparation course and regularly attend church, as preparation for making the baptismal promises for themselves. Baptism for these people is usually followed by confirmation into the Anglican church.

What is the role of God-parents (also known as “sponsors”)?

• To share with parents the responsibility of making promises n behalf of the child.
• To work with parents to support and nurture the child in the Christian faith.
• To encourage the child to a point of personal ownership of the faith into which the child is baptised.
• God-parents are not essential, but their role can be important.
• Because of the promises they will make, Church law requires that God-parents be over the age of 18 years, and be baptised in the Christian faith, in any Christian denomination.

Do the parents need to be active church members?

• We welcome all those who seek the ministry and Sacraments of the church.
• Baptism requires (by Church law) that at least one parent is baptised in the Christian faith.
• Central to the baptism service are the promises made by parents and god-parents to encourage the child in the life and faith of the Christian community. We therefore believe it is important for parents and god-parents to be able to express and demonstrate a commitment of faith themselves, and for the family to be involved in an ongoing way in  the life of the church.
• The church -and the people of this parish- look forward to supporting the parents in these promises and to sharing the child’s faith journey with them.

We would also be delighted to offer special Prayers of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child, in the early weeks of a child’s life .

• In these prayers, we thank God for this new precious life.
• We ask God to help and encourage the parents.
• We ask God to be with the child as he/she grows up.
• Usually this is part of our Sunday morning worship, but it can be anytime, anywhere.
• These prayers do not take the place of baptism.

For further enquiries about Baptism or Thanksgiving Prayers, please contact Rev Robyn Boyd on (03) 98024863, or email robynboyd@fastmail.fm

For further reading: What is Baptism?