Keeping the Church at the heart of the community.
Rev Adrian Judd,
01977 704744
You and Your Baby
The Church offers four services for you and your baby
Thanksgiving
A thanksgiving is an excellent way to mark the safe delivery of a child. It is explained more on the next page on the website. It is also suitable for a family to celebrate the life of a child who has had an emergency baptism in hospital because they were not expected to survive, but who has recovered.
A Naming Ceremony
This may take place in church or in a hotel or home.
Baptism / Christening
In this service the vicar prays for your child, makes the sign of the cross on their forehead and pours water over their head while saying ‘I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’.
Churching
This short service thanks God for safe delivery of a child for both mum and baby.
Christenings, and thanksgivings at Wentbridge Church may take place at 9.15am on Sundays in the morning service, or subject to diary commitments at 12.15pm.
It is better for the christening to be in the main service so the church congregation can be present.
Christenings and thanksgivings at Darrington Church may take place at 10.45am on Sundays in the morning service, they are usually on the second Sunday of the month in the family service which is shorter and better for children and non-churchgoers to go to.
Christenings and thanksgivings at Smeaton Church may take place at 9.15am on Sundays in the morning service, or subject to diary commitments at 12.15pm, or rarely at 10.30am.
It is better for the christening to be in the main service so the church congregation can be present.
Emergency Baptism
If you are in hospital and your baby is very ill an emergency baptism may take place, either with the vicar, or a hospital chaplain - ask a nurse to contact the chaplain. All that is necessary is to say ‘I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’ While sprinkling the baby’s head with water three times.Most baptisms or christenings as they are commonly called take place in Church and you can read more on subsequent web pages.
Churching
This service is from the 1662 Book Of Common Prayer
If a family would like to have the churching of women service this can be arranged at very short notice, (24 hours) but it is wise to give the vicar a call to make sure he won't be on holiday.
Churching is a traditional service which your mothers and grandmothers may have had. In their generation you were not allowed back from hospital into your home until you had been churched. Prior to hospital births the woman had to go to church to be churched before her family would let her mix with them.
The service takes between 5 and 10 minutes, and usually the mother comes with her partner or parents, it is a quiet service not an occasion for a party.