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Christenings

8 replies

SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 19:57

I'm thinking of having DSs christened. I've heard it's possible to get it done in your own home/garden - is this true? If so, has anyone here done it and how to I track down a willing vicar?

I've been dithering about this for ages and DS1 is now 4!

OP posts:
kmg1 · 10/05/2003 18:44

Soupdragon - Many vicars/ministers would be happy to come and say a prayer/blessing at a ceremony in your garden, I'm not sure whether you could have a 'christening' in your garden though.

I think the only approach would be to phone round some local clergy. If they can't help, they should be able to suggest someone who will ...

I'm not sure what your background is, but I suspect that you are not a member of a church, or you would be approaching your own vicar/minister (?) You should be aware that some clergy get very stroppy about baptising children of non-regular church attenders, so you may need a thick skin.

Dh is a Baptist Minister, and we don't baptise babies ... we do adults. But on Sunday he is doing a 'blessing/dedication' of a baby of non-church folk. They wanted the baby 'done', but got negative and unhelpful responses from local Anglican clergy. He would certainly be happy to say a prayer/blessing in someone's garden. But from an Anglican/Methodist point of view, this would not be a proper christening/Baptism.

Hope this is helpful - sorry I'm going on a bit.

Your best route might be to chat to people locally and find out which local clergy are amenable.

I'll ask dh whether he thinks any Anglican vicar would to a 'proper christening' in a garden, and will get back to you. In our church it would be important to be in the church, in public, because then the whole church family are there supporting you. But I know many Anglican churches do baptisms 'in private' on a Sunday afternoon anyway, so not sure this is relevant.

I'll stop rambling, and ask dh what he thinks.

Is a 'proper christening' important to you anyway?
What do you actually want, and why? Or is that a bit deep?

kmg1 · 10/05/2003 18:50

Dh would be very surprised if an Anglican vicar would do a christening in a garden. He has never heard of one doing this.

But as I said earlier you might find someone sympathetic who would do a prayer/blessing for you if he or she saw some merit in doing so.

Dh has only heard of christenings outside of churches in the case of 'emergency christenings' in hospitals.

HTH

Bobsmum · 10/05/2003 19:31

Another alternative is to have one of the new "naming ceremonies" that registry offices now offer. If a registrar is present then I guess it could take place anywhere. It wouldn't be religious at all though - but would still be a formal ceremony, with certificate etc. Contact your local council.

SoupDragon · 10/05/2003 20:52

I'm not sure why a "proper" christening is important to me, but it is. I guess it simply seems the right thing to do. I suspect that all those years of Sunday school have left their mark. I guess I'm a latent Christian if that makes sense. No, I'm not a regular church goer but this wasn't a problem at all when we were married in a church - bizarrely the subject never came up.

Without wanting to spark off a hot debate about religion, I guess I'm not that bothered about it being in a church because I don't really believe that God resides in a building. If he's listening or watching, he's doing it everywhere.

A friend of a friend apparently had a christening in their garden but I don't know the details so it could well have simply been a blessing.

Thanks anyway.

OP posts:
kmg1 · 10/05/2003 21:31

It may be that there is things we don't know about. See if you can get more from your friend of a friend.

If you haven't moved, then the chap who married you will I'm sure be happy to advise you of the options from his point of view.

kmg1 · 10/05/2003 21:32

Bleeuurrghh - excuse my grammar.

SoupDragon · 11/05/2003 09:15

Unfortunately, we've all moved away from that area!

Thanks anyay, I'll have to look into this elsewhere or try to persuade our local vicar to do it in the church I guess.

OP posts:
Bobsmum · 11/05/2003 11:48

We go to our local independent Christian church which isn't part of any denomination (ie Anglican/Catholic/Methodist etc). We don't "do" christenings either (adult baptism instead) but we always have thanksgiving or dedication services for babies/children. ds (8 months) was "dedicated" 2 weeks ago, we had a couple of bible readings, kids songs, some hymns we liked and then dh, myself and ds were prayed for by the pastor - v simple and to the point. Cos of the church we go to, we were able to oversee pretty much everything that happened, but we've had similar services for folks who don't attend regularly or at all.
Most churches I would hope would be very welcoming to anyone who wants to celebrate the life of a new bubba - wherever you stand - but I guess the service would have to roughly follow what that church believes and some can be quite regulation bound regarding church membership etc. I can only think that Google is your best option now.

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