Baptism, or Christening, is the Christian ceremony of admission into the family of God. At St John’s it is carried out at the font for both infants and adults by pouring water on the head, to symbolise the washing away of sin, and often specially blessed oil is used to make the sign of the cross. Some churches carry out Baptism by total immersion in water.
The New Testament recounts that Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, whose statue can be seen in St John’s on a stand near the Font.
At St John’s there is a Holy Water Stoup (a bowl containing specially blessed water) near the main entrance to the church. As we enter the church we can use this water to make the sign of the cross on our foreheads, reminding us of our Baptism.
Please contact one of our clergy team if you would like to know more about Baptism or Christening. Please see the noticeboards within the church or our website for contact details.