Christenings/Baptisms and
Dedications/Blessings (Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child)
With the lifting of Covid restrictions, christenings/baptisms and dedications/blessings at St James’s Church have been resumed. With the current baptismal policy at St James’s, families wishing to have a child baptised/christened will be able to set a date no sooner than three months after the initial clergy visit with the family. [Services of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child can be booked immediately at the earliest convenience for the family.]
If you would like to enquire about a christening/baptism or a service of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child, please have a word with the vicar, the Revd Ian Gallagher, on 07944 25 25 23 or via email at ian.gallagher@stjameschurch.cc.
Your little one’s special day at St James’s
As the parish church for Enfield Highway and Brimsdown, St James’s is a place for all of life’s great events, including celebrating a new life.
Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child (blessing/dedication)
This is an ideal option for local families wishing to have their child dedicated and blessed in the presence of God and the God’s people, in a really special and personalised service.
With baptism comes particular responsibilities on the part of the parents and godparents, along with solemn promises made before God and witnessed by the congregation, particularly for the raising the child in a Christian way, and that would include being a committed and regular worshipper in a Christian church—whether it’s at St James’s or any other church.
As you can imagine, baptism pre-supposes so many responsibilities to be entered into casually! Should you feel, as a parent, you aren’t ready to make such solemn commitments just yet, we at St James’s also offer this very special service of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child, customarily during the main Sunday worship service at 10am. Rest assured, it is a very personal and meaningful service to thank God for the new arrival in your life.
Baptism at St James’s—
God’s grace and the church’s commitment
Bringing your child to be christened is one of the biggest commitments a parent can make. Christenings (also called services of Holy Baptism) are a special time as children are welcomed into God’s family, the Church. Baptism one of the two sacraments that Jesus Christ ordered us to continue, and so naturally we as Christians take this seriously, as it it both solemnly and celebratory!
If you would like to have your child christened at St James’s, know that we are delighted! As infants and toddlers are too young to speak for themselves, this is where godparents come in, who (together with the parents) make solemn promises before God and the church on their behalf. One of these promises includes raising them actively in the Christian faith and in a worshipping Christian community (a church), and when they are old enough, having them confirmed by a bishop as a committed Christian and member of the church of God.
Fees and charges? None!
Christenings or services of Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child are considered gifts of God’s grace, and as such, there are no statutory charges for either of these services. However, as a gesture of gratitude to God for this special moment in your child’s life—and indeed in the life of your family—we at St James’s are always grateful for special donations from the family, a collection after the service, or both.
(Note that if you are a UK taxpayer, that if your donation is declared under Gift Aid, St James’s receives an additional 25% at no added cost to you, and often to your benefit at tax time when you declare charitable contributions.)
Want to know more?
For enquiries about dedications/blessings or christenings, be in touch with the vicar, the Revd Ian Gallagher, on 07944 25 25 23, or via email at ian.gallagher@stjameschurch.cc, and we can get the ball rolling.
If you would like to know more about christenings in the Church of England, click on this link, or click on the purple ‘CHRISTENINGS’ graphic above.