At St Mary's we enjoy baptisms, and we're currently looking at how we can make baptism as meaningful and enjoyable as possible for all involved. We'll be adding some more detail to this page in the next few weeks.

Baptisms are usually part of the main Sunday service, our Parish Eucharist at 10.00 am. This is because baptism is a public declaration that the child or adult has become part of the church family. It allows the congregation to welcome the children or adults being baptised, and to promise to pray for them and support them.

Usually the Vicar will offer some preparation to the parents, or of course direct to the baptism candidates if they're old enough, to explain the service and the commitment that is going to be made. This is a chance to explore more about the Christian faith and to think about what joining the church involves.

Meanwhile, if you're thinking about baptism for your child or yourself (or of course, both!), or if you'd like to arrange one, we'd love to hear from you. Please ring the Parish Office on 0191 251 4216 (mornings are best). You can also e-mail us, at stmarymkstn@hotmail.co.uk

There's lots of information about baptism on the Church of England website (www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/baptismconfirm), including the meaning of baptism, details of the baptism service, and the roles of godparents and sponsors.