We hold either thanksgivings or baptisms as part of our main act of worship on the fourth Sunday of each month. A baptism at St Chad’s is within the context of the main Sunday service. We can arrange thanksgiving services either as part of our main act of worship or at other times.

We normally proceed with a home visit by the vicar or a member of the Church family who will enable you to make an informed decision as to whether a baptism or thanksgiving is what you are wanting at this stage. As a Church community we recognise that the baptism of a child is the start of a demanding, lifelong responsibility for both parents and Godparents. It is also a visible commitment to the ongoing life of a particular Church family. We would encourage people not to seek baptism if we are not going to see you again as a family. One indication of this is if, say, parents contact us without attending worship beforehand, or who express no desire to be part of the Church family.

Being a part of the Church family means attending worship regularly, joining in the fellowship of the church community, and using the gifts God has given each of us to contribute to the ongoing life of the church and its service to the local community.

Hopefully by the end of the home visit you will be able to make an informed choice about whether a thanksgiving service or baptism is the right next step for you.

If it is specifically baptism that you desire for your child, we will do all that we can to prepare you and the Godparents for the baptism day and to support you as a family in living the Christian life. If you desire a thanksgiving service you are no less part of this Church community, yet it may be the preferred option if you feel that baptism would require a commitment and pattern of life that you may find difficult to give your full assent to.

Both a Baptism and a Thanksgiving in the Church of England are rooted in a deep sense of gratitude to God for the birth and gift of a child. Each service has within it the following elements: the naming of a child by the parents or main carers, a recognition of the vital role of Godparents and / or sponsors in the bringing up of children in a loving family environment and supportive wider community, and a formal blessing of the child.

There are some key differences between a baptism service and a thanksgiving service, however. Here we explore briefly what some of those key differences are…