A Christening is the start of a journey; it is a journey for parents who thank God for the precious gift of a child and have decided to introduce their child to faith with the support of the church; for the child it marks the beginning of a spiritual journey, becoming a member of the wider church family. It’s a wonderful celebration to share with friends and family.

 

During the Christening service, important symbols are used:

Water

The priest will baptise your child by pouring water on his or her head. This is the heart of the Christening service.

 

The Sign of the Cross

The priest will make a sign of a cross on your child’s forehead. It is a significant moment which marks the child as belonging to God.

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Light

Jesus is the Light of the World so during the Christening a large candle will be lit in church to signify this. Afterwards you will be given a lit candle as a reminder of the light which has come into your child’s life.

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Booking a Christening
You can find out more about Christenings, and book a date and venue by contacting Fr. Andrew on (01274) 562278 or by email at vicar@bingley.church. As parents you don’t need to be baptised (or Christened) yourselves.

 

Godparents
We hope you will decide to have Godparents for your child; they have a very important role to play. Choosing them is a big decision and you can find out more about this when you meet Fr. Andrew. Godparents need to be baptised themselves but, if you have chosen someone who isn’t baptised, we can arrange adult baptisms before the day so that they can take up this important role.

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The Cost of Christenings
We don’t charge for Christenings; this service if completely free.