Life Events

Baptisms/ Christenings/ Thanksgiving for the birth of a child

Anyone of any age may be baptised (or christened – they mean the same thing). It is a commitment to follow and live the Christian faith. Parents and godparents of small children make the promises to do this on their behalf; older children and adults make the promises for themselves. The service can take place in a regular Sunday service, or in a separate service – if the latter, then parents will be asked to bring their child to – or adults will be asked to attend – the following Sunday service, so that they can be welcomed in to the Church family.

For more information about baptisms and christenings, visit https://churchofenglandchristenings.org

For those who do not wish to make the baptism promises, but who wish to give thanks for the birth of a child, we can offer a Service of Thanksgiving, which takes place in a regular Sunday service.

Confirmation

Confirmation is a service in which those who are baptised take on the promise to live a Christian life for themselves. At this service the person is ‘confirmed’ as a full adult member of the Christian Church – the body of Christ – and, as such, may receive the bread and wine in the Communion service. Only a Bishop can offer confirmation, and so these services have to be specially arranged.

Weddings

There is no better way to start married life than with God’s blessing. With our numerous wedding reception venues in the villages, we have a strong and caring wedding ministry. We aim to provide a personal ceremony within the traditional words of the Marriage Service, that will be joyful, meaningful, and individual. Any person living in the village for at least six months, or who was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the church, or whose parents have lived, worshipped or been married in the village, or whose grandparents were married in the village, has the right to marry in that village church. Anyone else who has worshipped regularly in the church for at least six months can also marry there – and this is what many of our couples who have booked a local wedding reception venue choose to do. They are made welcome by our church congregations, and start married life with our prayers and best wishes. Revd Barbara is happy to talk with anyone who thinks they might like to be married in any of the churches.

Lots of information about parish church weddings can be found at www.yourchurchwedding.org

Funerals

When someone close to you dies, there is often so much to organise, and so many feelings to process. We can help you say goodbye in a way that celebrates their life, and commends them to the care of their loving heavenly Father for all eternity. Funerals can take place in any of the churches, with burials possible in Dodford and Everdon churchyards and Weedon cemetery. Funerals can also be arranged before, or after, cremations, and there is a separate service available for the Burial of Ashes (which can take place in any of our churchyards).

More general information on parish church funerals can be found at www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals

If someone close to you is gravely ill, in the days before death we can be asked to visit and pray with you and them – whether at home, in a care home, or in hospital. This often gives much peace and comfort both to the person who is ill, and those around them.