Baptisms / Christenings | St John's Yeadon

Baptisms, Christenings & Thanksgivings at St John's

Those who bring children for Baptism (or Christening as it is sometimes called) are expressing a desire to bring them up within the life of the Church, so that they will benefit from the positive values, accepting friendships and spiritual resources that accompany faith in Jesus Christ.

Some parents do not feel ready to make the promises required by the Baptism service, but still want to mark the birth of their child in a special way. In this case, it is better to come for a Thanksgiving service, where we simply express gratitude for our children and pray for God's blessing on them.

But whichever option you choose we will seek to help you get the best out of this special time and so with that in mind we have developed the following way of doing things.

1. Make Contact

Before making any other arrangements, please have a word with the Vicar or the Church Office to express your interest in organising a service of Baptism or Thanksgiving. Dates may be discussed at this stage but cannot be finalised until everyone involved has been contacted.

2. Come to Church

We ask you to start attending Church as a way of preparing for your child's special day. It will help you get a 'feel' for what St. John's Church is all about and to reflect on your own beliefs and values.

3. Preparation

A member of our team will arrange to visit your home to meet your family, explain what will happen at the service and answer any questions you may have about the Christian faith.

4. Fixing the Date

Baptisms and Thanksgivings usually take place at 1.30pm on Sundays, outside of regular morning worship. There may be more than one baptism / thanksgiving taking place in the service but there should be plenty of room for all your family and friends to attend.

5. The Service

You should try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the service. Then relax and enjoy the experience! We usually sing a couple of well-known hymns and the service lasts about 30 minutes.

6. Church Welcome

Because most of the church members are not present at your

service, you are asked to come to a morning service at

St John's, where you and your child will be 'officially'

welcomed into the congregation. On this occasion you will

also receive a Baptism or Thanksgiving Certificate.

7. Ongoing Involvement

We hope that afterwards you will continue to attend Sunday worship and other church events. We are a very family-friendly church and becoming involved will help you to develop your own faith and to nurture your children in theirs.