A Christening (also known as Baptism, the two words mean the same thing) is the start of an amazing journey of faith.
Baptism is a sacrament, a sign of God's grace, and our baptism is the beginning of a wonderful journey, a lifelong pilgrimage. We can only be baptised once in life; in baptism, we are stripped of sin and clothed with Christ! It is the most wonderful thing.
A lot of our baptisms are of infants or young children, who have Godparents and parents to answer for them in the service, but you can be baptised at any age. Whatever your age, the whole church welcomes you; we are all sisters and brothers of the same heavenly father, all of us are beloved children of God.If you are a teenager or older and at the time of your baptism, then the next step we hope you will take is to be confirmed. This is a special service led by a bishop, and in it, the promises that were made in the services of baptism are confirmed. The person being confirmed makes the promises for themselves and, in so doing, shows a great commitment to following Jesus Christ throughout life.
If you are thinking of having your child Baptised, or if you would like to be baptised, whatever your age, we would love to hear from you! Use the contact details on this site or simply come to Sunday service and speak to a member of the clergy after the service.Baptism can take place in the main act of worship on a Sunday morning (Holy Communion, known also as the Mass), or at some other time, many families like a Sunday afternoon time where the baptism is the only thing happening, and this is fine as well.
Some more information (answers to potential questions):What if I've not been Christened, can I still have my child Christened?
Yes. You do not need to be Christened yourself to have your child Christened. It is essential however that all Godparents have themselves been Christened (Baptised).
How much does it cost?There is no cost. Although if you would like to make a donation to help us pay for the wider costs of ministry, and to look after our beautiful ancient buildings then that would be very much appreciated.
What about Godparents?For an infant or young child's baptism you will need to choose Godparents. Godparents must already have been Christened (Baptized) themselves. There must be three Godparents (you can have more) with at least one male and one female Godparent. Parents can also be Godparents. If there are any problems choosing the Godparents, we are very happy to talk it through with you.
Godparents are really important and choosing who you're going to ask to be Godparent is a big decision. Becoming a Godparent is a life-long commitment and on the day of your child's Christening they are going to make some big promises on your child's behalf.We ask you to bear in mind that Godparents are not just there to look after the child should something happen to you; the role of a Godparent is to pray for your child, to model and encourage them to develop Christian values and to help them learn more about the Christian faith as they grow up.
Can we Photograph and Video the Service?Yes, but don't spend too much time looking through the lens! Enjoy the moment and the service. There are important words to say (everything is very clear in the Order of Service that you will be handed when you come into church), do join in, pray the prayers and sing the hymns, say the words, the whole thing is special, the whole thing is sacred and wonderful! After the service finishes, for example, by the font, do feel free to take as many photos as you like, of course.
Are there Toilets in the Church?Thaxted: Sadly no. The Swan pub across the road is very accommodating, though.
Other churches in the benefice: yes.What if my children make a noise?
All that is good :) (There are children's areas with toys and bits and bobs which they might like, too.)Church of England information pages: