Baptism

Cheltenham URC offers both Infant and Believer's Baptisms. We also offer a service of Thanksgiving and Blessing (or Dedication). Baptisms and Dedications are normally held as part of regular Sunday morning worship on dates previously agreed to suit the Church's progamme of worship.

It is not the policy of the URC to baptise persons who have been baptised before.

Cheltenham URC follows the teaching and practices of the wider denomination; when parents contact a church to enquire about baptism, the minister or a church elder will visit to talk through their understanding of baptism, their commitment to the Christian Faith and the promises they will be asked to make.

If they are not church-goers and cannot, in all truthfulness, promise to bring the child up in the life of the church, then there is an alternative service of Thanksgiving and Blessing, where thanks are given for the gift of the child and God's blessing given to the child and parents. The child can, when she/he is older, make his/her own decision to be baptised.

The Promises (see below) should be given serious thought before a decision is made regarding the type of service required.

BAPTISM

The promises asked of parents are:
Do you believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Do you promise, trusting in God's grace, that by prayer and example you will teach A…. the faith of the gospel and bring him/her up in the worship and life of the Church?

Godparents are asked:
Do you promise, trusting in God's grace, to pray and care for A….. and support his/her family as you are able?

THANKSGIVING and BLESSING

The promise asked of parents is:
Do you promise, by God's grace, so to live that your child will be surrounded by love and goodness?

If you wish to have yourself or your child baptised or dedicated then please contact the Church Secretary of the church where you would like the ceremony to take place (Prestbury, St Andrew's, Warden Hill)