The birth or adoption of a child is a cause for celebration. Many people are overcome by a sense of awe at the creation of new life and want to express their thanks to God. We provide an opportunity for parents and families within our community to give thanks for the birth or adoption of a child and to pray for family life. Here in Uplyme, thanksgiving is a community celebration and takes place in one of our Family Time, 10am gatherings.
At a thanksgiving, you will need to choose sponsors (traditionally Godparents) who will promise to support you and your child. We also present you and your child with Bibles and a candle too! We work hard to make sure that your thanksgiving service is a special occasion for all the family.
You can see some of the words used in the thanksgiving.
About Baptism
Thanksgiving is often what people mean when they use the term ‘christening’, however christening is the same thing as baptism. When a child or parents make the choice to follow Jesus, they have the opportunity to declare their commitment to Jesus through baptism. When a child is baptised, the child or parents must understand what baptism means and must be able to declare their intention to follow the way of Jesus.
For more information about the difference between baptism and thanksgiving read our FAQ.