Making a commitment
Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in response to God’s love. For all involved, particularly the candidates but also parents, godparents and sponsors, it is a joyful moment when we rejoice in what God has done for us in Christ, making serious promises and declaring the faith. The wider community of the local church and friends welcome the new Christian, promising support and prayer for the future. Hearing and doing these things provides an opportunity to remember our own baptism and reflect on the progress made on that journey, which is now to be shared with this new member of the Church.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a special church service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptized. If you were baptized at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made these promises on your behalf. As a young person or adult, you may be ready to affirm these promises for yourself and commit your life to following Jesus Christ. At a confirmation service, you make these promises for yourself. Your friends and family as well as the local Christian community will be there to promise to support and pray for you.
The local bishop will lay their hands on your head and ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you the strength and commitment to live God’s way for the rest of your life.
Thanksgiving for the gift of a child
This service is provided for a number of different occasions:
- the private celebration of a birth or adoption, at home or in church with only family and close friends present;
- the public celebration of the birth or adoption of a number of children, perhaps in church on a Sunday afternoon;
- the public celebration of the birth or adoption of a number of children as part of a main Sunday act of worship.
It is designed to meet the needs of:
- parents who see this as a preliminary to Baptism;
- parents who do not wish their children to be baptized immediately;
- others, who do not ask for Baptism, but who recognize that something has happened for which they wish to give thanks to God.