Baptisms and Dedications for your baby.

Perhaps you are thinking about a Christening for your child. This is a very special time for you. Here at St Andrew’s, we want to do all we can to make it even more special.

You probably have all sorts of ideas of your own about what a Christening is. Here are a few more to get you thinking. A Christening contains four things:

• naming – our names are very important to us – they are part of what makes each of us the person we are – so the naming part says your child is unique.

• saying thank you – every child is a present from God, and this service is a way to say thank you for the special gift that is your child.

• promises – parents and godparents promise that they will make sure that your child grows up surrounded by everything he or she will need for a fulfilling life.

• welcome – the service is to welcome your child into his or her human family, into the world and into the family of God.

Here at St Andrew’s, we offer a choice of welcome services. One is called Thanksgiving, the other is called Baptism. Whichever you choose, the welcome service would normally take place on a Sunday, either during the 10.30am service so that members of the St Andrew’s church can be there to welcome you, or in the afternoon.

A Thanksgiving is aWELCOME INTO THE WORLD and intoGOD’S FAMILY. We believe that God loves every one of us. We know God’s love in our hearts. Each of us needs that. But to live we also need warmth, food, clothes and shelter. And to live happily, we need cuddles, encouragement, comfort, guidance and even discipline too. These are all part of real, physical, practical, human love.

Baptism is actually ENTRY INTO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. It is for people who believe in God and in Jesus Christ and in the message Jesus came to bring. Before you could arrange a baptism for your child you would need to be coming to church and be part of the fellowship here at St Andrew’s.

If this has made you want to talk more about a service for your child, the best thing to do is to e-mail our minister, Revd Peter Rand ( peter-rand@virginmedia.com) or ‘phone him ( 0191 266 1353 ), and he’ll be happy to talk it through with you.