Baptisms at St James the Great

Here at St James' Church we offer a baptism service for both children and adults. To find out more continue below.

Signs of God’s love

In baptism, whether the baptism of a child or an adult, three signs of God’s life-giving, and life-sustaining, love are used to express God’s blessing and the beginning of the child or adult’s journey in faith. Those signs are:

The water of baptism, with which the child or adult is baptised over the font in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit.

The anointing with the oil of catechumens or baptism, with which the child or adult is sealed with the Holy Spirit, the love and grace of God, following the baptism with water over the font.

The giving of a lighted candle, with which the child or adult is exhorted to ‘shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father’ as she or he lives out her or his life as a disciple of Christ.

The Baptism of Children

The baptism, or christening, of a child is a special rite through which parents give thanks for their child and ask God to bless their child and their family life as they
bring up their child. Parents and godparents make the decision to turn to Christ and profess the Christian faith on behalf of the child. Parents and godparents take on the
responsibility for bringing the child up in the way of faith and encouraging the child to take on her or his baptismal vows for her or himself through confirmation when she
or his is old enough to take on those vows for her or himself.

The Baptism of Adults

The baptism of an adult is again a special rite. In the baptism of an adult, the adult her or himself makes the decision to turn to Christ and professes her or his Christian
faith for her or himself. The adult nominates sponsors to journey in faith with her or him in the place of godparents. The baptism of an adult is followed by confirmation
when the adult becomes a full communicant member of the Church, and of Saint James’.

The Service

Baptisms are conducted on a Sunday, except in emergency. The baptism of children or adults takes place at Saint James’ either during our 10am Sunday morning Eucharist or in a separate service of baptism at 12 noon.

If you would like to book at baptism at Saint James’, please contact the Vicar, Rev’d Julia Babb, who will be pleased to meet with you and make the necessary arrangements. 

Those who are to be baptised at Saint James are asked to come to a rehearsal, usually the week before the baptism, when we will welcome you to Saint James’ and talk through the baptism service and any questions that you may have about the service and about the profession of faith and the life of Saint James’ Church. You can find further information about baptisms in a Church of England parish by following the link below: churchofenglandchristenings.org

A Prayer

A prayer for those to be baptised, and for the whole people of God:

God of grace and life,
in your love you have given us
a place among your people;
keep us faithful to our baptism,
and prepare us for that glorious day
when the whole creation will be made perfect
in your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Liturgical Prayer taken from Common Worship Initiation Services, the copyright for which belongs to The Central Board of Finance of the Church