At St Peter’s we welcome everyone who is considering the possibility of Baptism (or Christening as it is often called) for themselves or for their children.In the baptism service parents thank God for his gift of life and make a decision to start their child on a journey of faith. The church also promises to welcome the child and to pray for the family. In an adult it is seen as a key moment when a person makes a decision to follow Jesus and to receive God’s Holy Spirit to help them live out that decision. When a baby is baptised, the parents and godparents make the decision on the child’s behalf.
Practical issues
If you live in the parish then you should contact the Parish Administrator . She will discuss possible dates with you and send a confirmation letter.
If you do not live in the parish but have a link with it (for instance if you were married at St Peter’s or your family live in Wrecclesham) you should also contact the Parish Administrator in the first instance.
If an adult seeks baptism, in the Church of England this is linked to the sacrament of Confirmation [link to below] taken by a Bishop. With everyone else who is being confirmed you will be expected to attend a series of pre-Confirmation classes and you will normally be baptised during the Confirmation service.
If you choose to have your baby, or child, baptised at St Peter’s you will be contacted by a baptism visitor, who will make an appointment to meet you at your home. She will discuss the service with you, answer any questions you may have and take details of the godparents’ names, including confirming with you that they have been baptised (christened). The member of our clergy team who will be taking the baptism service will also visit you.
The Church of England website has a useful page called ‘Christening FAQs’, but you can also find below answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
How many godparents can we have?
Every child must have at least three godparents, two of the same sex and one of the opposite sex to your child. You can choose more than three godparents if you wish. Godparents will be people who will be in touch with your family for many years to come. They may be relatives or friends of the family. They will be people who you know you can trust and who will be there for your child to talk about the bigger questions in life; questions about faith, hope and love.
They should feel ready to make some big promises about faith for your child in church. Therefore, because of the very special role they have in supporting your child’s faith journey, godparents must have been baptised (christened) themselves.
Is there any charge for a baptism?
There is no fee for a baptism at St. Peter’s. However, there will be a collection plate at the back of the church and, since the church is entirely funded by voluntary donations from parishioners, we would be grateful for any contributions, which go towards the heating and lighting costs and the general upkeep of the church.
Can we have a private service of baptism?
At St Peter’s we hold monthly baptism services on a Sunday. We are asked to baptise many babies and children from the parish of Wrecclesham, so most baptism services will be shared with another family. The church can comfortably hold 120 people, so we would ask you to try and limit the number of your guests to 60.
Some parents choose to have their baby, or child, baptised during the 10am Sunday service. However, it is understood that this is not always possible for practical reasons. If the baptism is held at 11.30am, after a Sunday service, you will be asked to bring your baby to a service shortly after the baptism so that the child can be welcomed into the family of the church.
Can we record the service and take photographs?
We ask that you do not take photographs or make recordings during the baptism service. When the service is over you are very welcome to take as many photographs in the church as you wish.
What next?
We try to help and support parents and families and hope that you will continue to come to church once your children have been baptised. Families are always welcome and our Junior Church children meet on the second Sunday each month in the Leverton Hall during the 10am service (see also This Month’s Services). We also hold occasional more informal services at St Peter’s School, which support the close links between the church and the school.