Congratulations! We are pleased that you are thinking of baptising your child.

This page tries to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about baptism at St Mary's.

Holy Baptism or Christening at St Mary's?

Christening and baptism are the same thing, just different names for the same service.

Can my child be baptised/christened?

YES!! Everyone living in England has a right to baptism, no matter what their circumstances. (You can only be baptised once!)

Can we have the service in the parish?

Baptism usually takes place in your local parish church, if you live in our parish then your child can be baptised at one of our two churches. If you do not live in this Parish then we can put you in touch with your local church. If you would still like the baptism with us then we will need to get permission from your local church before doing the baptism- this usually only happens if there is good reason and after the service we would encourage your home parish to formally welcome you.

When will the service be?
 
We normally hold baptisms on the first Sunday of the month at our main act of worship at 10.30am (at Barnard Castle). Whorlton baptisms are usually held at 12.15pm and take a slightly different form.

What is the service like?
 
The baptism is part of our main service of the day. At the service the congregation affirms its willingness to support you and your child on your Christian journey. There are hymns and a short talk. The service lasts just over an hour.
Children are welcome at all our services.

What happens before the service?

Once you have contacted us and booked a baptism we will visit you at home. You will be invited to a preparation group along with your godparents. At the preparation group we will talk about the service and the commitments you are undertaking. In the week before the service we will arrange to come and pray with you and your family in your home.

What about Godparents?

Godparents make promises with the parents, for the child and for themselves.
Godparents should all have been baptised, and they should be adults.
Godparents should be people who will be around for your child, people who might be able to help them as they grow and learn, especially to help them grow in faith.
There is no magic number of godparents but most children have three.

What if I don't usually go to church?

At the baptism parents and godparents make promises, we will talk them through with you before the day.
Parents bringing a child for baptism promise to bring the child up "as a Christian within the family of the church." You might want to ask yourself if this is the moment to deepen your own spiritual life.

Can we take pictures/videos?

We would prefer if you and your guests took part in the service directly rather than through the lens of a camera. We are more than willing to pose for pictures with you after the service.

How much does it cost?

Baptism is free, God's gift to everyone, we do not expect any payment.
 
There will be a collection plate at the service, and if you want to make a donation to the work of the church then we welcome that.
 
After the service:

We promise to keep in touch with you and your child. Perhaps we will see you at Smuffies (our under fives’ group), at school or our special services.