Baptisms

Your baby and the Church

Portishead United Reformed Church offers two services for the new-born child, Blessing or Baptism. Both services speak of God's love for your child, of God's promises, and of the Church's care. Blessing or Baptism normally takes place during an ordinary Sunday service.

In the Blessing

we remember how Jesus told his followers to let the children come to him and he blessed them.

Portishead URC offers this service for those church members who, on grounds of belief, do not wish to have their children baptized; and also for those parents who, because they are not church members or regular attenders at worship, do not wish to undertake the vows required for baptism.

In the service the Church shares in the thanksgiving of the parents for the birth of the child, assures them of God's love for their child and their home, and prays for God's blessing on the child.

In the sacrament of Baptism

we remember that, from the beginning of the Church, when people wanted to commit themselves to Jesus Christ, they were baptized; and often their children were baptized as well.

The Church observes the sacrament of Baptism as a gift of God to his Church and as a particular way of receiving God's help and love. When a child is baptized, the parents are asked to declare their faith in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to promise to bring up their child in the Christian faith, within the fellowship of the Church.

What about Godparents?

It is not essential to have godparents, though in some families and some parts of the Christian church it is a strong tradition. If you particularly wish there to be godparents, we suggest they should be people whom you can respect because of their faith in Jesus Christ. In the Baptism service they will be asked to declare their faith in God, and promise to pray for your child and support you and the family ' as ministers of Christ's love.'

For further information

or to discuss arranging Blessing or Baptism for your child, please email info@portisheadurc.org.uk.