in the heart of Ipswich since 1859
Baptism
Baptism is one of the key milestones in the process of building a strong family with faith at its centre. This process begins when the minister meets with you to start planning the service.
Welcome
Thank you for thinking about having your child baptised at St Paul’s Church, Ipswich.
We welcome families and their children who are seeking Baptism.
Jesus encouraged parents to bring their children to him, and as disciples of Jesus we do the same.
We are committed to helping parents build strong families, and Baptism is one of the key milestones in that process.
The information in this Baptism guide will assist you with the preparations and also allow the parish to collect the information we need for the service and also to stay in touch with you afterwards.
Once you have read through this guide, please contact the Parish office on (07) 3812 0377 to begin the process of preparing for your child’s Baptism.
Why baptise your Child
Baptism celebrates the beginning of a lifelong journey as a follower of Jesus. It is the moment when a person becomes a Christian.
Baptism is a ritual with symbols that express and describe what it means to become a follower of Jesus.
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Water – represents refreshment, cleansing and a fresh start
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Oil – represents being called by God and anointed for a life of service
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Candle – represents shining as light in the darkness of everyday life
When we come for Baptism we are saying “yes” to God’s love and claiming our place within the community of God’s people.
For families, Baptism can also be a time to acknowledge the mystery of a new life coming to birth among us and the immense privilege—as well as the awesome responsibilities—we have as parents.
When we baptise our children we are promising to be role models for them: examples of faith, but also examples of hope, and love, and compassion.
Choosing Godparents
Asking someone to be a godparent for your child is a special moment. They will appreciate your trust in them as key figures in the life of your child.
Godparents have an important role as they assist and support you in the spiritual nurture of the child.
Godparents do not need to be Anglicans, but they must be baptised themselves, and they should be people who take their own Christian practice very seriously.
It is best not to choose someone as a godparent just because they can be at the service. It is much better to have someone else stand in as a proxy for an absent godparent, if the absent person will be better in the longer term as a special mentor in the life of your child.
Traditionally a child has three godparents: including two godfathers for a boy, and two godmothers for a girl.
The number of people is not all that important, but the quality of the godparent is a key consideration. Will each of these people be positive and healthy influences on your child as they grow?
The Baptism service
Baptisms can happen at any time in the event of special circumstances, but the usual arrangement is for us to celebrate Baptism during the church service that the family would normally attend.
There are also some special days during the year with a special link to Baptism: such as Baptism of the Lord Jesus, Easter Eve, Pentecost, and All Saints.
Who is involved?
Most often, the candidate for Baptism is an infant or young child, but we also baptise older children, teenagers, and adults.
Every candidate has a number of sponsors, and in the case of children not old enough to speak for themselves these include the parents and godparents as well as someone from the church community.
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There are many ways that we can personalise your child's Baptism service, and we will discuss these with you when we met to plan the service.
Some ideas to consider, depending on the age of your child, include:
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Family heirlooms, including special Christening gowns and shawls.
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A new outfit purchased for the occasion (for older children).
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Make and/or decorate your own Baptism candle.
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Write a prayer to be used in the service, expressing your hopes for your child as they grow up.
After the Baptism
As a family you will have endless opportunities to help your child grow into the confident Christian person that we prayed for them to become at the time of their Baptism. Every special moment that you treasure with them is a step in your child’s development, and every time you share your own faith and your own personal values with your child you take another step in this lifelong journey of faithful living as people of Christ.
Godparents will have an important role as your child grows, and perhaps especially when the children reach adolescence. By then the trusted adults you chose to be the godparents to your child will have cultivated a place in the child's life so they can serve as a personal mentor when your children most need their guidance. In the meantime, help the process along by making a habit of referring to these people as “your godmother” or “your godfather” even if they are also uncles, aunts or cousins. Plant a seed and watch it grow when the time comes.
The church is here to help you and your godparents in the nurture of your children. We will be in touch from time to time to offer suggestions, share ideas and maybe invite you to a seminar that may help you as Christian parents. When you are in town make a point of pointing out St Paul’s Church to your children and occasionally bring them into the church to see where they were baptised, to light a candle and to say a little prayer together.
Spiritual milestones
The sacraments of the Church are special rituals in which we claim God’s blessing for ourselves or—in the case of Baptism—for our children.
There are seven traditional sacraments and at least four of them are especially relevant to families:
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Baptism
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Confirmation
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Eucharist
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Marriage
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Confession
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Holy Unction (anointing with holy oil for healing)
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Ordination (Deacons, Priests and Bishops)
The Christian spiritual tradition includes many other sacred rituals including Bible reading, meditation, prayer, icons, candles, incense, fasting, and ‘body prayers’ such as the labyrinth.
On the parish website we offer information about intentional engagement with our personal spiritual journeys, and the Building Strong Families section has a special focus on those sacraments which are especially relevant to families and children.
First Communion
Children are prepared for their First Communion when the parents think they are ready for this next step in their faith journey. This often happens around the age of 7 years as the children are then ready to understand the significance of the sacrament and claim their own place at the Table of Jesus.
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Your child will be welcomed to the Table of Jesus at a normal Sunday service so that the event is a more personal family milestone.
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Email us for further information.
Confirmation
Confirmation is when an adult Christian reaffirms their previous Baptism promises and requests the Bishop to confirm, them as a member of the church, the community of Jesus people.
Candidates for Confirmation are usually at least 15 or 16 years old as they are making their own commitment to be a follower of Jesus as they prepare to move into their adult lives.
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We ofer a preparation program at least one every year, and then schedule the Confirmation services at times when the Bishop can be with us.
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Email us for further information.