Baptism | My Site 1

Baptisms

Afon Tawe Ministry Area would welcome the baptism of either yourself, or your child within one of our churches. Initially, please contact our Ministry Area Administrator (via email - please click the blue underlined link) with some of the basic information that will be required i.e.:-

Your contact details i.e. email address/phone number,
Which church you would like the baptism to be at,
Your proposed date and time for the baptism,
The full name(s) of the parent(s),
The address of the parent(s),
The name of the child/person to be baptised together with the date of birth,
The proposed Godparents details and if they themselves have been baptised.

Our administrator will check if your chosen church is available on your requested date/time and forward on via email the necessary application forms for you to complete and return (if not possible to return via email, then please see our homepage for our administration office address)

In the meantime, you may wish to browse the information below which may prove helpful at this time.

The Church in Wales believes that children are a precious gift from God. Your child is special, and we hope that their christening, or baptism as it’s sometimes called, will prove to be the start of an amazing journey with him.

You can be christened (or baptised) either as a child or as an adult. Jesus himself was baptised in the River Jordan, and many adults who are christened/baptised do so as an opportunity to follow in his footsteps and publicly declare their Christian faith.

Babies and very young children are too young to make this commitment for themselves, so parents or guardians, along with their godparents, make that declaration of commitment to the Christian faith for them.

Parents, guardians and godparents who bring children to be christened are themselves asked to commit to sharing that special journey of faith with them. They will be asked to commit to pray for their child, and to help them learn more about Jesus and the Christian faith. They will also commit to help them navigate their way through life against a backdrop of faith, hope, and love, and to help them become part of the wider church family.

Christenings sometimes take place in the context of one of the church’s regular services, but some are held at a separate time where just your family and friends are present. It is often possible to include your choice of prayers, readings and music to make it feel even more special and unique. Your local vicar will be happy to talk through all of this with you prior to the special day itself.

Parenting children can bring us inexpressible joy, but sometimes we acknowledge it can also bring unique challenges too. Many of our churches run parenting classes where you can find support, help and advice, plus share stories and experiences with other parents.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus himself was baptised, by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, and that Jesus commanded his disciples to go out into the world and baptise. Baptism is a sacrament for all those who wish to become his disciples. The Church welcomes to Baptism all who wish to make a declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, including infants and children whose parents and godparents make that declaration on their behalf. Jesus teaches his people that all who would enter his kingdom must be born again of water and the Spirit. Baptism is the sign of this new birth.

Three important ceremonies mark the process of adopting Christian faith in the Church in Wales. Baptism marks the beginning of the journey of Christian faith, which is affirmed by an individual at Confirmation when they make the promises of Baptism for themselves. All Christians are also invited to share in the Sacrament of Communion, when the Church obeys the command of Jesus to break bread and share wine, which is a sharing in the body and blood of Christ.

Parents and Godparents who bring children to be baptised promise to bring up their children in faith, sustain them by prayer, enable them to take their part in the worshipping and serving life of the Church and, in due course, to be ready to declare their own faith at Confirmation (by the Bishop). Those baptised as older children or adults may be baptised and confirmed in the same service.

However old the candidate is, baptism is about:

turning away from darkness and sin towards Jesus Christ, in whom we find light and forgiveness;
being washed in the waters of baptism as an outward sign of our being made new, born again by water and the Spirit;
taking our place around the family table of the Church where Jesus nourishes us with the food of eternal life.

Baptism should normally take place in church during worship. Water is poured over the head of the candidate three times, in the Name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Those who are older may be baptized by immersion in a body of water such as a baptismal pool. The act of baptism signifies our sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus. As he died and was buried, we go down into the water of baptism. As he rose from the dead, we come away from the water in his risen power, made new.

When children are baptized, their parents and godparents undertake certain responsibilities. For this reason parents and godparents are helped beforehand to understand their responsibilities. The local Church also has an important role in helping them to nurture their child in the Christian faith and in the new life which Baptism brings.

The Church baptizes children in the hope and trust that parents, godparents and the local church together will surround them with a living faith which will sustain them throughout their lives. The Church supports all baptized Christians, by teaching and encouraging them as they receive the grace of the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus.

Proper preparation for baptism is essential. Parents and Godparents of younger children are encouraged to understand fully their responsibilities: to read the Bible, pray, and worship regularly so that their child may grow in the faith. Older children and adults who come to be baptised and confirmed are expected to participate in a preparation course, often with others. Members of the local church are to encourage and help all who become followers of Jesus. They may be present at all stages of this process, welcoming and embracing the newly baptised and confirmed in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ.