CHristenings
Christenings at St John's
Baptising people of all ages as a way of welcoming them into the life of the church has been the practice of the wider church for 2000 years. The first person baptised in St John’s was James Taylor on 21st September 1834 and thousands of people have been baptised in the church since then. Baptism remains a popular part of church life in Shildon today with around 60 baptisms a year of babies, children, and adults.
Booking your Christening
Baptisms for 2024 and beyond
To book a baptism for 2024 or early 2025 parents are invited to attend a 45 minute baptism preparation evening at St John’s Church on a Thursday evening at 6pm (see dates below). It would be beneficial if godparents can attend as well. At the end of the evening you will be able to make a firm booking with a date and time for your child’s christening. Booking for the preparation evening is not essential.
Baptisms normally take place on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month after the morning service. For adults and families who attend church regularly a baptism can also be arranged in the 10am service.
Below are the preparation evenings (6pm) in church up until Christmas 2024:
Thursday 14th November
Thursday 12th December
Booking is not necessary but it’s always good to know if you intend to come! If you want to know more details email Revd Carol shildonparish@gmail.com
Families wanting a child christened are expected to attend at least one Sunday morning 10am service before the christening. The all age service on the 3rd Sunday of the month is a good one to attend.
Recent Christening at St John's! Young Ralphie with parents Chris and Shelbey
Exploring more about what a Christening means ...
A precious child
Your child is precious to you and precious to God. You want the very best for them, and so does God. You want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.
A christening is just the beginning of this and so much more.
A journey
Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child by:
- Being there for your child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
- Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.
- Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.
- Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.
So it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on.