Baptism
Baptism (Also called Christening) is arranged by appointment with the Parish priest. There are a number of requirements that must be met before a date for baptism can be finalised and these can be discussed with the priest at your first meeting. It is generally expected that baptism will take place in one of our regular worship services. Where it is not possible to have the baptism in our regular 9:30am service a separate baptism service can be arranged to be held at 12:00 noon on the first Sunday of the month - there may be more than one baptism during this service. Baptism services are not celebrated on Saturdays.
Baptism or Blessing?
A Christian is a person who has a real and living faith relationship with Jesus Christ and recognises him as Lord and Saviour. If you do not yet see yourself as a Christian in this sense - but you would like to do something significant for your child, you may ask the Parish Priest if you can have a blessing instead of a Baptism.
There is considerable difference between Baptism and Blessing:
Blessing is simply a way of thanking God for the wonderful event of birth and the joy of a new life, which is bound to you in a very special way, and asking for God’s blessing on your child. There is no further commitment.
To arrange a Blessing is very simple: Contact the Parish Priest and arrange a meeting to discuss when you would like to hold the Service of Thanksgiving for a Child and to go through the service with you.
Baptism is completely different and demands some solemn promises from you relating to your own faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. These are discussed in the booklet below.
To arrange a Baptism requires the Priest or a member of the Baptism Preparation Team to meet with you to go through the service, so that you know exactly what promises you are being expected to make and to talk through the issues surrounding these. If the godparents live locally, they should also be invited to attend.
How Much Does it Cost?
The church does not charge for the provision of sacraments, so there are no set fees for a baptism. However we do ask you to consider making a voluntary donation in recognition of the time and resources required for the preparation and provision of the service. The recommended amount for you to consider is $150. To put that in perspective a civil celebrant conducting a 'naming ceremony' for a baby generally charges between $300 and $400.
However those who cannot make a donation of this (or any) amount will not be turned away. All are welcome in God's house regardless of financial capacity.
Baptism or Blessing?
A Christian is a person who has a real and living faith relationship with Jesus Christ and recognises him as Lord and Saviour. If you do not yet see yourself as a Christian in this sense - but you would like to do something significant for your child, you may ask the Parish Priest if you can have a blessing instead of a Baptism.
There is considerable difference between Baptism and Blessing:
Blessing is simply a way of thanking God for the wonderful event of birth and the joy of a new life, which is bound to you in a very special way, and asking for God’s blessing on your child. There is no further commitment.
To arrange a Blessing is very simple: Contact the Parish Priest and arrange a meeting to discuss when you would like to hold the Service of Thanksgiving for a Child and to go through the service with you.
Baptism is completely different and demands some solemn promises from you relating to your own faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. These are discussed in the booklet below.
To arrange a Baptism requires the Priest or a member of the Baptism Preparation Team to meet with you to go through the service, so that you know exactly what promises you are being expected to make and to talk through the issues surrounding these. If the godparents live locally, they should also be invited to attend.
How Much Does it Cost?
The church does not charge for the provision of sacraments, so there are no set fees for a baptism. However we do ask you to consider making a voluntary donation in recognition of the time and resources required for the preparation and provision of the service. The recommended amount for you to consider is $150. To put that in perspective a civil celebrant conducting a 'naming ceremony' for a baby generally charges between $300 and $400.
However those who cannot make a donation of this (or any) amount will not be turned away. All are welcome in God's house regardless of financial capacity.
Please download and read carefully our baptism information booklet. The completed application form should be brought to your first meeting with the parish priest.
| baptism_booklet.pdf |
| baptism_application_form_ww_2015.pdf |
