Thanksgiving and Baptism
Toton Churches want to welcome you and your family in celebrating the gift of your new child!
At Toton Churches, we offer two services especially for you and your new baby or child. Adult Baptism is also available - please contact a minister who will be happy to discuss this with you.
Thanksgiving
When a child is born it is natural to want to celebrate and say thank you for their safe arrival—this is the Service of Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child. This short ceremony takes place at one of our morning services and involves special prayers for the baby and for you as parents. It doesn't involve Godparents or any promises. At Toton Churches, all families have this service.
This may be sufficient for you—a service in church, God’s blessing on your child and a chance for family and friends to gather to celebrate. Some parents will wish to go further and take part in a Service of Baptism. But you may prefer to let your child make their own decision about baptism when they are older; or you may not feel ready to make the promises in a baptism service; or you may not be sure that you really want to commit to any church involvement at this stage.
It is your choice to make the decision you feel most comfortable with. No one would want you to say things you didn’t believe or are at least willing to explore further.
Preparation Visits
Before a Thanksgiving service, two members of our church will offer to meet with you in your home to get to know you and your family. We will take the opportunity to tell you about what is happening within the Toton Churches for children and families. We will also tell you about community events at Toton Churches and upcoming special occasions which may be of interest.
"Heavenly Father…
Surround them with your blessing that they may know your love, be protected from evil, and know your goodness all their days".
(from the Thanksgiving Service)
Baptism
We are delighted if you are thinking about baptism for your child. At Toton Churches, we are available to help you explore what baptism means and all the good things that God has in store for you.
What is Baptism?
- A commitment to set off on the Christian journey
- A beginning of a living relationship with Jesus
- A promise to learn more about Jesus and how we can be more like Him
- A celebration of a unique person made by God
- A welcome into the family of the Church, locally and worldwide
However, a Baptism is not just…
- a nice tradition and an excuse for a party
- a process to go through to please other family members
- a ceremony to give your child a name
- a spiritual insurance policy or a guarantee that your child develops a faith of their own
We are very willing to visit you to explore any questions you may have and explain what Christian Baptism means for you and your child.
"You have received the light of Christ;
walk in this light all the days of your life."
(from the Baptism Service)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to come to church every week to have your baby baptised?
By law, your baby can be baptised in the parish where you live and if you live in the area served by Toton Churches, we will not turn you away. (Toton Churches is a partnership between St Peter’s Anglican Church and Toton Methodist Church). We do need to know that you understand the meaning of baptism and that you are happy to make the promises within the service. To enable this, we will visit you to talk through exactly what the promises are and the meaning of the symbolism within the service.
When will the baptism take place?
Baptisms take place during our main Sunday morning services which last between 10.30 and 12.00. We have a variety of services and we will discuss with you which would best suit your needs.
How much does Baptism cost?
Baptism costs nothing. It is about the free gift of God’s love and forgiveness for all who are baptised and choose to follow Jesus.
My partner feels uneasy about making the baptism promises. What should we do?
It is good if at least one parent is able to make the promises with integrity. It is possible for a partner to stand with the family but not formally make the promises. If neither of you feel able to honestly make the promises, then you might like to consider making a Service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child your special event. This enables you to express your gratitude and joy without making a commitment you feel unable to honour.
My children are both at school now, can they still be baptised?
People of all ages are able to be baptised—babies, children, young people and adults—even whole families. If you have children of an age where they can understand the meaning of baptism, then we would be happy for them to make the promises for themselves with or without the support of Godparents.
If you have further questions or would like to make arrangements, please contact the office and we will be happy to help.
Useful link: churchofenglandchristenings.org/