Life Events
Whether you're getting married, want to find out about baptism, or if you need information about a funeral, you can find more information below.
Weddings
Getting married? We are delighted you have decided to make this public declaration of love and commitment to one another. If you want to discuss the possibility of having your wedding at either St Michael’s or St Mark’s we would be very happy to talk to you.
Please note: most weddings we conduct involve those who live in our parish or who have a clear connection to the church and parish.
The usual process is that we meet twice with each couple. The first meeting is to deal with the legal and practical details concerning the wedding day. The second meeting offers an opportunity to look beyond the wedding itself and talk about your married life together. We don’t just want to make your day a special one, but to help you build a happy and healthy marriage, so we offer some tools for reflecting on the commitment you are going to make.
If you would like to explore getting married at St Michael’s or St Mark’s please contact the Parish Office to arrange an appointment with one of our clergy.
A reminder of the Christian understanding of marriage… taken from the marriage service
“It is God's purpose that, as a husband and wife give themselves to each other in love, in joyful commitment to the end of their lives, they shall be united in that love, as Christ is united with his church. Marriage is given as the foundation of family life in which children are nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love.”
Baptisms (Christenings)
Baptism is an important spiritual moment which marks the beginning of faith and membership of the Church, so all our baptisms take place during one of our main services on Sunday morning.
Please find below a step-by-step guide to our baptism process. Hopefully this will help you think about preparing for baptism, the promises made in the baptism service and also to consider whether an alternative church celebration may be more appropriate.
1. ATTENDING AN ALL AGE WORSHIP SERVICE
If you have not had any contact with church for a while, we suggest attending one of our All Age Worship services. This is our monthly family-friendly service which is usually on the first Sunday of the month at 9.30am at St Michael’s. Contact the Parish Office for the next AAW service. This is the service in which child baptisms take place.
2. BAPTISM INFORMATION EVENING
Once you have been to a service you will be invited to come to a Baptism Information Evening which usually takes place monthly. This is an evening where we talk about what baptism is and how it fits into the Christian faith.
An important part of baptism is a serious commitment to Jesus Christ. It is helpful to discuss what you will be saying and promising - both for yourself and on behalf of your child - during the service.
We will also outline an alternative celebration - that of Thanksgiving. This can be an equally special service for those who do not wish to make such serious promises of faith or who want their child to be able to choose for themselves when they are older.
After this evening you can contact the office to say whether you want to have your child baptised or would rather talk further about other options.
3. HOME VISIT
Following the Baptism Information Evening, there will be a visit to your home from one of the clergy to answer any questions that you may have and to talk about practicalities.
Our aim is to make sure you are fully prepared for the important promises you will make during the service and to explore the exciting future we believe God wants for you and your child.
FOR ADULTS
We regularly run short courses designed to introduce people to the Christian faith and this would be the normal preparation for baptism if you are an adult. Please contact the Parish Office for details of the next course.
Funerals
Planning a funeral is a spiritual as well as practical matter. It is a natural time to take stock of one’s own life and prepare for the life we believe is to come for all those who love and trust God.
Death is something many people don’t want to talk about but for a Christian it is a time to consider the hope that comes with trusting in Jesus for life here and now and for eternal life which he offers to all people.
If you would like to talk to someone about planning a funeral service then please contact the Parish Office.