Baptisms

In the baptism service we thank God for his gift of life and publicly acknowledge his love.

We acknowledge that we all need to turn away from the darkness of evil and to make a new start with God. The water is an outward, visible sign of the inward coming to God and the new life that follows.

Baptism is also the ceremony in which a person becomes a member of the church.

We are happy to baptise babies, children and adults.

Can we have a baptism at St Lawrence's?

Yes, if you live in the Hungerford Parish.

If you live outside Hungerford then you need to be a regular worshipper at St Lawrence's or have a qualifying connection with the parish. The connections we are looking for are:

A parent has lived in the parish for six months or more
The parents were married at St Lawrence’s
A parent or sibling was baptised at St Lawrence’s
A parent or sibling was prepared for confirmation St Lawrence’s

If you have no connection with Hungerford or St Lawrence’s then the baptism should normally take place in the parish church where you live. You can find out where this is on the Church of England web-site.

When are Baptism Services held?

Baptisms usually take place on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of a month during our main Sunday service at 10:00am when we can welcome you into the church community.

Alternatively, we can hold a baptism at 12 noon. Please join us for tea and coffee about 11:30am and then we stand around the font for the baptism. There will be no music at the 12 noon Baptism.

There will be an amenities charge for Baptisms held at 12 noon of £45. No charge for Baptisms at 10:00am.

What happens at the Baptism Service?

During the baptism service the child’s parents and godparents, or the adult being baptised, declare their decision to turn to Christ, to repent of their sins and to renounce evil. They then affirm their belief and trust in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Once the decision and affirmation have been made, the priest makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the person being baptised and then baptises them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit by pouring water on their head.

At the end of the service the child or adult is given a lighted candle to remind them to shine like a light in the world to the glory of God the Father. We suggest that you light the candle on the anniversary of the baptism to remind you of the baptism promises you have made.

Do we need to start coming to church?

Yes please!

Baptism is about joining the church and so it's also important that we get to know you, and you us, so that we can support you on your journey of faith. We suggest that you come to the monthly Family Service to start with, which is held on the first Sunday of the month at 10:00am.

Do we have to do Baptism preparation?

Yes.

Rev Mike Saunders will need to see you before the baptism to explain in more detail what baptism means. If you are an adult wishing to be baptised we would normally ask you to do an Alpha course, to learn more about the Christian faith.

How do I fix a date for a Baptism?

We cannot fix a date for a baptism until we receive a completed Baptism Booking Form (details of where to return the completed form are on the booking form).

Your journey of faith

We see baptism as the first step of a person’s journey of faith.

To continue this journey, we suggest that you come to church regularly, perhaps starting with the monthly Family Service or by joining ABC our toddlers' group.

Children aged 4 - 10 can come to Powerpack, which is held during the morning service on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays.