What is Christening (Baptism)?
Christening, also known as baptism, is the act of washing someone with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the way in which a person begins his or her lifelong journey in the Christian faith.
Jesus commanded his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them and telling them the good news. In baptism, this good news is freedom from all that is wrong in the world, being restored to God’s love, and being offered new life in Jesus.
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
Matthew 28:19
Who gets Christened?
In our church both adults and children are baptised. Anyone who lives in Solihull Parish can be baptised here and will be welcomed into the church. Often, parents bring their children to be christened at a young age. Promises are made on behalf of young children, including the commitment to nurture them within the church community and to bring them to Confirmation. Adults are baptised (if they haven’t been already) and confirmed when they come to the Christian faith.
I want to arrange Christening for myself or my child.
In the first instance, get in touch please contact the Parish Office (include your phone number please) who will be delighted to advise you on the next steps.
What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a special church service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were christened. A bishop will lay his or her hands on your head and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to live God’s way for the rest of your life.
You can find out more about Confirmation here.
Since many people are christened as babies or children, it can be an important way for them to publicly show that they are Christians. Confirmation joins us more deeply to the church, the community of people who follow Jesus. For some, it marks the first time when they share in Holy Communion.
Confirmation is valued in Solihull Parish, and we have a Confirmation service at least once a year. We often have a mixture of people being confirmed, both adults who have been part of Just Explore and 11-18 year olds from our youth groups. Ask a priest or the Parish Office to find out more.