For nearly sixty years, generations of families have come to St Wulstans to mark important steps in their life journey. The presence of children in our lives is a wonderful thing. For many parents, the sense of privilege and responsibility that we feel makes us want to express our thanks to God. St Wulstans is happy to help your family celebrate the arrival of young children!
Christening (or Baptism – they are the same thing!) is an essential part of what we do at St Wulstans. It is astonishing to think how many countless generations of families have come to mark the start of their children’s journey in faith at our little wooden font. One little boy on a school visit thought about this for a minute and then said, “It’s like being a time-traveller. It makes you connected, doesn’t it?”
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. It is a joyful moment, and particularly for parents and godparents, it is also a solemn moment when we make serious promises about our faith and way of life.
Our baptism services are by arrangement with Sarah, the Vicar (see the contacting us page), who will meet with you and get to know your family. We offer baptisms to fit in with days and times your family, and will make a video for you to commemorate the special day!
Frequently Asked Questions
WHO CAN BE BAPTISED AT ST WULSTANS?
We regularly offer baptism services as part of our church life. Families preparing for Baptism at St Wulstans are usually connected to the church family in some way. For example the family:
- lives in the parish (see achurchnearyou.com postcode finder)
- is a committed part of one of our congregations, such as Mainly Music or Sunday mornings
Often, we offer baptism services for families who have other connections with the parish. Examples might include the children’s parents were married at here church, if either parent was baptised there, or if an older brother or sister was baptised there.
Is there a fee for christenings?
No; baptism is a free gift from God which the church is privileged to make available for families in our local community, free of charge. We do support the Food Bank at every service at St Wulstans and ask families to bring groceries for us to give away! If you wish, you or your guests may make a voluntary donation at the end of the service to the church, but this is entirely up to you.
How many godparents should my child have?
Godparents are normally two of the same sex as the child and one of the opposite sex – 3 or 4 is usual. They must all be over 16 years old and have been christened themselves.
Can grown-ups be baptised?
There is no upper age limit for baptism, so it is never too late. Many young people and adults who have not been christened as children choose to be baptised later in life, after a period of learning about the Christian faith.
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