In Baptism we are thanking God for the gift of life - marking the start of the journey of faith, being ‘born again’ into the family of the Church of God, joined to the life of Christ through the gift of God’s indwelling Spirit. It is at our baptism that we begin the very public ministry of Christian discipleship.
The service itself paints many vivid pictures of what happens as the on the Christian way:
There is the sign of the cross made on the child's forehead - the cross is the badge of faith in the Christian journey, which reminds us of Christ’s death for us.
There is the water - our ‘drowning’ in the water of baptism, where we believe we die to sin and are raised to new life, unites us to Christ’s own dying and rising. Water is also a sign of new life, as we are born again by water and the Spirit, as Jesus was at his baptism.
And as a sign of that new life, there is given a lighted candle - a picture of the light of Christ conquering the darkness of evil. Everyone who is baptized walks in that light for the rest of their lives.
Enquiries about Baptism should first be made to the Parish Clergy via CONTACT ME
You can also find more general information by clicking here on the Church Of England website