Baptism in the Parish of Newbiggin

“By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body”

We are delighted that you have decided to seek Christian Baptism for your child, or indeed for yourself!
You may be very familiar with baptism and all that it means, and with the service itself - or there may be questions that you would like to ask.
This article may help you understand more about baptism in general and about how we will celebrate baptisms in St. Bartholomew’s.
Remember that Baptism is the beginning of something as well as a special event. We hope that everyone who is baptised will continue their journey in faith as part of the Church, and we provide opportunities for people of all ages to continue their spiritual journey within this Parish. You will find a welcome at any of our services, especially at the 11 am Informal Worship, which is when most of our Baptisms take place.

Q. What is the difference between “ baptism” and “christening”?
A. None. They are different words for the same thing.

Q. Actually, it’s not for a child, it’s for me. Do you baptize adults?
A. Frequently!
In the days of the first Christians, adults came forward for baptism because they wanted to become part of the Christian community. No doubt they brought their families, including the children, with them,
but baptism was, above all, the celebration of an adult’s Christian faith.

Q. How old do you have to be?
A. Any age.
Babies and very young children are brought because their parents want what is best for them, and see membership of the Church as something important. Just as good parents provide love, security and a balanced diet so that their children will thrive, they are also concerned about their spiritual health.

Older children and adults coming for Baptism take this as a first step into the faith they have chosen for themselves. They answer for themselves the questions otherwise answered by parents and godparents.

Baptism is a sacrament, a visible sign of what is really invisible – God’s love for us. At baptism we thank God for giving us life and love. We turn to God as Christians, rejecting all that is evil and all that would be a barrier between ourselves and Him.

Christian baptism grew out of something even earlier. Jesus himself was baptised in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. This was a great turning point in his life, the moment when he became aware that he had a unique role to play and felt the power of the Holy Spirit fill him. (You can read the story at the beginning of Mark’s gospel). At the end of his life, Jesus told his followers to spread his teachings, make new disciples and baptize them – so we do!
Your child (or you) is becoming part of this great history of faith, part of something much more important than just the congregation of this church.

Baptism is about:
becoming a member of the Christian Church, including the local congregation sharing, in a symbolic way,

in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ... the beginning of a journey in faith

During the service you will:
start (or start your child) on this journey of faith, and ask for the support of the Church family
join with that family in expressing your belief in God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
thank God for his gift of life and pray for his continued blessing upon that life as the future unfolds

The Church, for its part, will:
welcome you, and promise to support and pray for you (and your child) in the future
celebrate this baptism with you as the important occasion it is, and invite you to grow in faith as an active member of the church.

Important symbols

Water
Water is an important sign of life. We need to drink water to stay alive; it seems clear that life evolved in the waters of the earth; our bodies are largely made up of water and we use it to wash and refresh ourselves.
In the same way we need the love of God to revive and refresh ourselves spiritually.
At birth most of us emerge wet from the womb and are lifted straight into the arms of someone who loves us. At baptism we are “born again” as Christians, and we emerge wet from the font into the loving arms of the Church, which represents Christ here on earth.
The water of baptism reminds us of God’s blessing, poured out on the lives of all who seek it, and the moment of baptism is followed by a prayer that begins:

“May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church,
pour upon you the riches of his grace...”

The sign of the cross
The sign of the cross is made on our forehead as an invisible, but everlasting, badge of membership of the Christian Faith. Everyone who is baptised will be invited to “polish up” their own “badge” at the end of the service.

Candles
Light is another universal symbol for all that is good. Jesus is sometimes called “The light of the world” and every Easter we celebrate the dawn of the day of resurrection by blessing and lighting a large candle. This candle burns at every baptism service, and from it we light a smaller candle, given as a reminder that all Christians promise to walk in the light of Christ.
We say together :
“Shine as a light in the world
to the glory of God the Father.”

Arranging a Baptism

What to do How to do it :
Step 1    Contact the vicar. Visit the Church Centre on Saturday morning
             between 10am & 12 noon or phone 817220

Step 2    Make sure it’s what you want. Read the booklet you will be given and talk about it.

Step 3    Arrange the service. Talk to the vicar and fill in an application form.

Step 4    Choose Godparents. Traditionally two are the same sex as the child and
             one is the opposite sex .They must all be baptised, and should be
             confirmed, although this is not essential.

Step 5    Celebrate properly !
             Arrive on time and encourage everyone to take part in the service.
             Baptism is an event to take seriously – although this should not stop you enjoying the            occasion. You do not have to be a perfect Christian to want to follow Christ and it would be surprising if you never had any doubts or questions in your mind. The questions you will answer show that you   intend to do your best, and that is all God wants any of us to do. You make these responses yourself, for yourself or for the child you have brought, but the whole Church will support you as you try to remain faithful to your words. It is important that no one says anything they do not truly believe – or at least wants to believe.

Q. So, what are these important questions?

Do you turn to Christ?
Do you repent of your sins?
Do you renounce evil?

Do you believe and trust in God the Father who made the world?
Do you believe and trust in his son Jesus Christ who redeemed
Mankind?
Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit who gives light to the
People of God?

If you are able to answer these questions honestly, then you are saying that you are a Christian, and can be baptized or offer your child for baptism.
“We welcome you into the fellowship of faith”

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