Life Events

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Baptisms and Thanksgivings or the Birth of a Child

The birth of a child is an exciting event. many parents want to celebrate this in church, seeking prayer for themselves and for their child. The Church of England has two different types of service.

A Service of Thanksgiving

A service to thank God for the birth of your baby. This doesn’t have the commitments and promises of a baptism service. Some people have a Thanksgiving Service for their baby soon after they are born and have a Baptism Service at a later date.

Please contact the Vicar to arrange a Thanksgiving Service.

A Baptism Service

Baptism contains some very important commitments for the parents and godparents. The basis is that the children who are baptised will be brought up as Christians within the Church. It is important that the child learns about God’s love for us, and to follow Jesus. You can also be baptised as an adult believer.

Godparents – what is their role?

A child’s godparents undertake to play a role in the Christian upbringing of the child. We would strongly recommend that you do not choose your godparents before speaking to the us.

Can anyone be baptised at St Giles’ Church?

If you live in the parish of our church we are happy to offer Baptism even if you are not yet a regular church attender. It is a great way to start or renew a commitment to God and his people.

Are we eligible to have a service at St Giles’ Church?

Baptism should usually take place in your own parish church. If you (a) live in our parish or (b) regularly attend our church then St Giles’ is the right place for you. If you live outside our parish boundary, you ought to have a strong connection with our church.  Please contact the Vicar to find out more.

How do I arrange a Baptism?

If you wish to proceed with baptism your first point of contact should be the Vicar.  He will arrange for our Baptism Co-ordinator to make the necessary arrangements.  You will need to attend one of our Baptism Preparation sessions. These usually take place on a Monday evening or Tuesday afternoon in the St Giles’ Centre.  We provide a short presentation about baptism and how it relates to following Jesus. We’ll talk through the practicalities – parish boundaries, godparents, the service itself and also how we might help you to fulfil the promises you will be making. Both parents are expected to attend this and you are welcome to bring your child with you.  You will also be provided with some materials to help you choose Godparents and you will receive a form which you will need to complete and return in advance of the service.

We’ll talk through the practicalities – parish boundaries, godparents, the service itself and also how we might help you to fulfil the promises you will be making. Both parents are expected to attend this and you are welcome to bring your child with you.  You will also be provided with some materials to help you choose Godparents and you will receive a form which you will need to complete and return in advance of the service.

When is the service?

Services of baptism are usually held on the third Sunday of a month and you may choose to have the baptism as part of our main Sunday service or at 12:30pm.

What does it cost?

There is no charge for a Baptism or Thanksgiving Service. However, there is an opportunity to make a donation to the Church’s life and ministry at all of our services.

Weddings and Blessings of Marriage

Christians believe that marriage is a gift from God.   In the marriage service, a couple make a public declaration of lifelong commitment to love each other, come what may. The Bible compares married love with the love Jesus has for his followers.   He expressed his love by being prepared to sacrifice himself, even to die for the people he loved.  This is amazing, unconditional love.   Jesus never said, ‘I love you, but …’

In marriage couples can try to follow his model by loving each other in a self-sacrificial way, putting each other’s needs first.

In this parish we delight in couples who get married. If you are exploring this as a possibility, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Vicar, as early as possible in your planning, so we can advise you of how you can fulfil the legal requirements.  You will be assured of a warm welcome and we will do everything we can to ensure that your day is very special.  There are many ways in which you can personalise your service, ranging from the music to readings and who you would like involved.  The Vicar will work closely with you to plan your day.  Click here to make contact.  Take a look here for more about getting married in the Church of England.  There is lots of help and ideas for planning your wedding in a Church of England church.

Legal Requirements

We will look at these in more detail with you when you make contact, as there is nearly always a way to get married in a church.  Take a look here for more general advice, but always make sure you speak to the Vicar.

The usual route to marriage in the Church of England is to have your banns called, but sometime a licence may be required.  Don’t worry we will guide you through this process.  Banns of Marriage are announcements made in the parish where you live and where you are getting married.  We will help you fulfil all the legal requirements.

Practical Matters

We offer advice and help to ensure your day is special, and the Vicar will work with you to ensure that everything is ready for the service and it is designed just for you. 

We encourage you to attend a Marriage Preparation day, check the legalities including banns and complete paperwork, plan your special ceremony and even have a rehearsal so you no what is going to happen on the day and you get the chance to practice your lines – don’t worry you don’t have to memorise them!

Funerals and Memorial Services

We are here for you in times of bereavement.  Losing someone we love is always a very difficult and painful experience. 

At St Giles’ Church we try to support people going through this experience by offering a funeral service which, we hope, will combine the sadness of saying goodbye whilst also celebrating the life of the one that we have lost.  Whether the service is held in church or a crematorium/cemetery or both, we try and offer a funeral service that combines dignity, humanity and hope.  The Vicar is available to conduct a funeral service, tailored to your loved one and meeting your needs.  Please contact us first or ask your Funeral Director to make contact on your behalf. 

For services in church it is possible to have music provided by an organist and/or played on our sound system.  We have a system through which it will be possible to show video and PowerPoint.  Please discuss this when you speak to us.

Churchyards and Memorials

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