St Giles' Church Copmanthorpe

The birth of a child is an exciting event. many parents want to celebrate this in church, seeking prayer for themselves and for their child. The Church of England has two different types of service.

A Service of Thanksgiving

A service to thank God for the birth of your baby. This doesn't have the commitments and promises of a baptism service. Some people have a Thanksgiving Service for their baby soon after they are born and have a Baptism Service at a later date.

Please contact the Vicar to arrange a Thanksgiving Service.

A Baptism Service

Baptism contains some very important commitments for the parents and godparents. The basis is that the children who are baptised will be brought up as Christians within the Church. It is important that the child learns about God’s love for us, and to follow Jesus. You can also be baptised as an adult believer.

Godparents - what is their role?

A child’s godparents undertake to play a role in the Christian upbringing of the child. We would strongly recommend that you do not choose your godparents before speaking to the us.

Can anyone be baptised at St Giles' Church?

If you live in the parish of our church we are happy to offer Baptism even if you are not yet a regular church attender. It is a great way to start or renew a commitment to God and his people.

Are we eligible to have a service at St Giles' Church?

Baptism should usually take place in your own parish church. If you (a) live in our parish or (b) regularly attend our church then St Giles' is the right place for you. If you live outside our parish boundary, you ought to have a strong connection with our church. Please contact the Vicar to find out more.

How do I arrange a Baptism?

If you wish to proceed with baptism your first point of contact should be the Vicar. He will arrange for our Baptism Co-ordinator to make the necessary arrangements. You will need to attend one of our Baptism Preparation sessions. These usually take place on a Monday evening or Tuesday afternoon in the St Giles' Centre. We provide a short presentation about baptism and how it relates to following Jesus. We'll talk through the practicalities - parish boundaries, godparents, the service itself and also how we might help you to fulfil the promises you will be making. Both parents are expected to attend this and you are welcome to bring your child with you. You will also be provided with some materials to help you choose Godparents and you will receive a form which you will need to complete and return in advance of the service.

We'll talk through the practicalities - parish boundaries, godparents, the service itself and also how we might help you to fulfil the promises you will be making. Both parents are expected to attend this and you are welcome to bring your child with you. You will also be provided with some materials to help you choose Godparents and you will receive a form which you will need to complete and return in advance of the service.

When is the service?

Services of baptism are usually held on the third Sunday of a month and you may choose to have the baptism as part of our main Sunday service or at 12:30pm.

What does it cost?

There is no charge for a Baptism or Thanksgiving Service. However, there is an opportunity to make a donation to the Church’s life and ministry at all of our services.

BAPTISMS