Advice on church issue

[Immigrantsong]

Hi, not sure if anyone can help. We would like to baptise our youngest and approached the church we go to. They want £150!!! Isn't this simony? They claim they need this money to function, but surely donations are up to the discretion of people and not a fixed fee. Does anyone have any tips as to what to do and how to raise this?

Worth it for the school place, surely

We don't believe in undergoing sacraments for issues such as getting a school place. I am genuinely interested in people's opinions as to whether this is simony. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone paying for a baptism? We are happy to donate, we just don't want to be obligated and be given a price. Surely God is free!

I think all religious ceremonies in churches have a fee attached to them.

Surely it is to cover the costs involved with running the church itself including buildings and clergy?

What denomination?
If you are just rocking up for the baptism never to be seen again then I can see their point. If you are regulars it does seem a bit off.

Which denomination? And is it your church?

Anglicans are not allowed to charge. See churchofenglandchristenings.org.

Seems odd to charge you. Are they going to be carrying it out during the normal Sunday service or at a separate point? I know in my old church they'd baptise regulars during the normal Sunday morning service but non regulars outside of this time, generally on a Sunday afternoon.

I think if you're not regulars and especially if it's at a separate time then they've got to make money somehow.

Why don't you want to pay though? They're conducting a service for you. You pay for a wedding. You wouldn't use a pub's function room without paying either a room hire or for drinks/food.

If you attend the church you'll prob be familiar with the collection/offering? Unfortunately churches need income.

What denomination is it? If you can't afford it, have a chat to the contact.

Is it your church?

Our local church, church of England charges £500 for weddings and £200 for christenings but they offer a discount if you are in the church electoral role - which is fair as those people give to the church every month.

Churches cost a fortune in upkeep so it's no wonder they have to charge.

I mean if you had your civil ceremony or naming ceremony at a hotel they'd charge so not sure why a church shouldn't?

It's our regular church. I find it completely scandalous. John the Baptist didn't have anyone collecting money for baptisms. Does anyone have any experience with fighting such stances? I offer generously at the collection every Sunday, but will not pay for a sacrament. It's against our beliefs. You don't pay to enter God's kingdom. How can I make them see sense?

When you say regular church, are you there every week, on rotas etc?

Ours marries members for free and doesn’t charge for christenings/baptisms.

If it's Church of England they cannot charge for baptisms, and marriage fees are set centrally. Here's this years fee table. www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-10/Fees%20Table%202018%20%20-%20A4%20-%20all.pdf

My church (cathlolic) does it for free but do give a suggested donation amount if you do want to give. Was it a suggested donation?

Would it be included within the regular Sunday morning service or did you want a separate ceremony?

The problem here seems that you want to make your own rules regarding fees and the church you currently attend has advised you of the fees they usually apply but you don't want to pay?

Simple solution: start your own religion. They're all basically the same. 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you are regulars then it seems off to charge you. Unless it's a very big/fancy church.

How long have you been attending mass?

No OP you absolutely should not be charged, your right it's part of the churches mission. But are you having it as part of a normal Sunday service? Maybe it's to cover costs if you're asking them to put on an extra service. Ultimately it should be free and just part of a normal morning service to be welcomed into the community.

Nb- you pay for weddings cos of the legal stuff, heating and normally organist fees. Plus it's an extra service outside the normal.

You should not be charged. Most people donate something but that's a matter of choice.

I checked and C of E do not charge for baptism. A baptismal certificate costs £14.

I can't see a problem - who pays for heating, lighting. Opening and closing the church, cleaning it, paying the vicar (or whatever) - it's business sense - the church costs money to run and keep

We attend weekly. It's an Orthodox church. We wanted the baptism as part of the Sunday service, the priest said we had to pay no matter what. I am at a loss as to what to do. I would have been happy to make a donation, but absolutely incensed at the simony of being asked to pay for a sacrament. What are my options? How do I complain and to whom?

In my Church, Baptisms are held within the normal Sunday morning service, as it is seen as important to recognise the little one (well, or older one but it is usually little ones) 'into the family of the Church'. There is never any charge, even when we never see the family again.

I can understand that if you are expecting the Presbyter, the Organist, the cleaner, the member who 'stewards' it (unlocking, locking up, setting up microphones, water etc), potentially the florists, to all make arrangements to be there at a different time (as per a wedding), then it does seem reasonable there is a fee.
That said, if any of our Church members gets married, the fees are usually waived by the friends who know them through weekly attendance.

Does seem odd, if you are a regular attender, not for there to be any leeway.

How does the management structure of the Orthodox Church work ?

Baptism is one of the sacraments that you don't need a vicar for anyway...

It does seem strange to charge a regular attender. But then it seems strange to me that you're not having this conversation with the people at the church.