st mary's church, billingshurst
Welcome to the website of St Mary's Church, Billingshurst, West
Sussex
Baptism guide
We have a team of Baptism visitors at St Mary's. Having read through this guide, you may want to ask questions, or have an informal chat with a Baptism visitor, so that you can discuss together Baptism or a Service of Thanksgiving.
As already mentioned, an important part of your commitment is that you attend church regularly. You will also be invited to a Baptism Preparation evening, along with other families, when you will watch a DVD, which explains what Baptism is (and is not) and summarises the basis of Christianity. It will also be an opportunity to discuss in depth your understanding of, and commitment to, Baptism and the promises to be made at the Baptism service.
Your Baptism visitor will then be in touch again, and go through aspects of the actual service at which your child will be baptised or in which the thanksgiving will take place.
Confirmation
Confirmation is the ministry by which, through prayer and with the laying on of hands by the Bishop, the Holy Spirit is invited and received to complete what began in Baptism and to give strength for the adult Christian life.
Each person, at their Confirmation, takes on the promises made for them at Baptism to reject evil and to turn to Christ as Saviour and Lord. Confirmation, in the Church of England, is also seen as a sign of full membership of the church, after which Holy Communion may be received.
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