Baptisms at St andrew’s
We are delighted that you are looking to have your child baptised at our church, and we look forward to getting to know you and welcoming you into our church community. Below is some basic information which you need to know.
Baptism eligibility
Baptism is the start of a lifetime’s journey with God. It is a practice used to represent one’s commitment to Jesus. Adults and young people can declare their own faith and commitment. For young children not yet able to speak for themselves, there is a commitment on the part of their parents and Godparents to bring them up within the Christian family. It is therefore a practice with great spiritual significance and a wonderful way of introducing someone into the Christian community.
If you live in the Parish of Barnsbury, or if you live outside the Parish but have a strong family link to it, you can have your child christened at St Andrew’s. We would be delighted to help you celebrate this significant moment.
You can read more about the baptism service on the Church of England website – it explains the what happens in church and the symbolic actions we use.
Preparation and process
Baptism is a celebration of the whole congregation. This means it is always held during our main 10.30am Sunday services, so the whole congregation can be part of welcoming your child into the church family.
If you are not a worshipping member of our congregation, but would like a service of baptism for your child, we would encourage you to come along to our 10.30am service a few times and meet with Revd Caroline to get an idea of what being part of our community is like. If you have not been baptised and wish your child to be baptised, you should discuss how you wish to proceed with Revd Caroline too.
What to do now
The first thing to do, if you do not already attend St Andrew’s, is to attend our 10.30am Sunday service and introduce yourself to Revd Caroline. Please also email the Church Office at admin@standrewsthornhillsquare.org.uk, or ring us on 020 7607 4552 to express your interest in baptism.
It’s worth saying that not all Christians are baptised as babies. We celebrate the baptism of adults too! If you wish to be baptised as an adult, please speak to our Church Office.