We are pleased that you want to bring your child to church to pray God’s blessing on him or her.
There are three types of service that we offer at all Saints which usually take place at the main morning service at 10.30am on the first Sunday of the month. They are: -
Thanksgiving
In this service the parents and family thank God for the gift of their child, we pray for God’s blessing on the child and for the parents in the task of bringing them up.
Dedication
This service is one where the child is dedicated to God. As God has given us the gift of a child so we dedicate him or her back to God, and pray for the family as they bring their child up in the Christian faith.
Baptism
This service is about membership of the Body of Christ. Here parents stand before the congregation and declare their belief and dedication to Christ and promise to bring their child up in that faith. This service has deep theological significance and it is helpful to have an understanding of the cross and resurrection of Christ to get the most out of it.
Traditionally only baptism has godparents but it would be possible to have godparents in all of these services.
In baptism the godparents must have been baptised and it is preferred that they are confirmed or in adult membership of a church.
Procedure
If you would like to have any of the above services for your child then please come to church on a Sunday and make yourselves known either to the vicar or minister on duty.
We will then give you the dates of some baptism preparation courses which may take place at All Saints Church Lydiard Millicent or St Mary’s in Lydiard Park . Hopefully you will be able to make one of these and we will then book a date for a thanksgiving, dedication or baptism service.
If you cannot make one of these course dates it may be possible to arrange an alternative method of preparation but this is likely to delay the date of a service for your child.
At All Saints families usually bring their children for a service of Thanksgiving before proceeding on to Baptism or Dedication.
Preparation Course
The preparation course lasts 2 ½ hours and will be either on a Saturday morning or on a Sunday afternoon. A crèche (with CRB checked volunteers) will be provided for your children if you need to bring them with you.
There will be refreshments and an opportunity to meet other families. We will have a presentation about the three types of service, discussion of any issues that arise and contributions from people about what it has meant to them and their families.
A selection of children’s Bibles, prayer books, CDs and DVDs will be available for you to look at and perhaps purchase.
The course is not designed for you to simply sit and listen but to participate in as much or as little as you like.