Christenings

Baptism/Christenings are a happy and special event, usually the first ‘formal’ event in a child’s life and it provides an opportunity for all the family, relatives and friends to come together and we are very pleased to be able to share it with you. People celebrating baptism at St Martin’s seem to really enjoy the service.

We hope that your child’s baptism will be a wonderful and memorable occasion and that it will mark the beginning of a long and happy association with the church.

What is a Baptism/Christening?

Baptisms or Christenings as they are also known are:

• a chance for all the family to get together, celebrate and thank God for the new life which he has given.

• a time when we remember that as well as being a member of a human family your baby is a part of God’s family too, the family of the Church.

• a sacrament, an outward and visible sign of God's love.

When Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan he became aware of God as his Father and felt the special presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, it was a turning point in his life. After his death and resurrection Jesus commanded his followers to make new disciples and baptise them too. This has been done ever since by Christians throughout the world.

Why do we baptise children?

Most parents like to say ‘thank you’ to someone for the wonderful gift of their child and I suggest that ‘someone’ is God, who gives life to us all. Jesus told his disciples to baptise people who wanted to become Christians and join the church. The Bible tells us that whole households were being baptised and soon parents wanted their children to be baptised also.

Some people think that Baptism is like an insurance policy which you take out to make sure that your child goes to heaven. That is certainly not the case! I know God loves your child just as much now as after the baptism service.

However, it does make sense to give your child the very best start in life and what could be better than to encourage them from the very earliest days to be open to God and to know of his love for them.

When will the Baptism take place?

Baptisms usually take place in the main Sunday Morning Service at church, because part of the service is the welcoming of the child by the congregation.
You can of course ask for the baptism to be at a time to suit you your family – obviously this will depend on my availability.

How do I arrange a Baptism?

You will need to complete the booking form on the attachment below and return it to:
The Chaplain
Bryanston School
Blandford Forum
Dorset
DT11 0PS

Further information

Please see the documents below for helpful information relating to Baptisms and what to expect. You can also find further information on the Church of England website.