Baptism is the term used in the bible for what people commonly call “Christening”.
Baptism means to “dip into water”. Christening means “to be made a Christian”.
Normally you would make your arrangements through the local priest. If you wish to have your child baptised in a church which is not in your parish then your priest will negotiate that with you.
Baptisms are usually held in a church during the Sunday Service because this is when one becomes a member of the church. It is more than a “thanksgiving for the birth of a child”. It is where the parents and sponsors make promises to raise their children in the Christian faith. For this reason at least one of the parents must have been baptised a Christian. (Preferably confirmed as well.) If you haven’t been baptised or confirmed you will need to talk that over with you local priest. For the same reason the sponsors must have been be baptised as well.
People can be baptised at any age although adults are usually confirmed at the same time.
One month’s notice is usually required for a Baptism unless there is an emergency. Also, many churches like to celebrate baptisms on special Sundays of the year such as Easter Day or Pentecost. It is always exciting to be baptised on such a special day!
Preparing to be baptised
When preparing to be baptised we consider:
- The basis of the Christian faith.
- The meaning of baptism.
- The meaning and conduct of the baptism service.
To makes things meaningful and allow as much family involvement as possible, it is helpful to have the sponsors present at the preparation. It is also helpful for you to attend church so that you and the regular congregation can get to know each other. After all, baptism is about joining the church family so it is good to know who these people are!
In the Anglican church it is understood that when a child becomes an adult believer in Jesus Christ, they will want to be “Confirmed”. This is a special ceremony involving the bishop and the church community.
For more information how to be Baptised at our church, please contact the Priest in Charge on (08) 9722 6130 or email.
