Congratulations on the birth of your child! We are glad that you are looking at our church for your child’s christening.

It is our belief that God loves everyone unconditionally, and we therefore welcome all those living in the parish who bring their children for baptism. If people have a link with the parish, but live elsewhere now, we ask them to obtain the good will of their present parish priest before arranging a baptism at St Gregory’s.

Anyone can get in touch with our church to find about having their child christened whether you are local to the village or have family connections here. It doesn’t matter whether they are weeks, months or years old. We are glad you are considering it!

Parents don’t have to be baptised themselves for their child to be baptised but it will help you to keep the promises made in the service if you have an understanding of the Christian faith. However it is a requirement for potential godparents to have been baptised.

We will offer preparation sessions for you to talk through baptism, faith and family life as well as encourage you to get to know the wider church community.

During a christening your child will be baptised with water and anointed with chrism oil (hence the word christening) which is like an invisible badge that marks the start of an amazing journey of faith for your child- and also a very special day for all your friends and family as they witness this moment in your child’s life.

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 that you and their godparents will 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 joining our church life and in other ways.

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

If you were not baptized as a young child, you may be deciding now as an adult or teenager to make this commitment. Whatever leads you to this point, baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of your life, and we are always ready to discuss baptism with people of any age. 

Confirmation is the service when you confirm the promises that were made on your behalf by your parents and godparents when you were baptised.  The local bishop will lay their hands on your head and ask for God’s Holy Spirit to give you the strength and commitment to live God’s way for the rest of your life.

To explore baptism/christening confirmations at St Gregory’s please get in touch with Revd Gaenor.

Do also have a look at the national church website www.churchofenglandchristenings.org