Christ Church with St. Mary’s, Frome

What is ‘Baptism’?

Baptism is an enrolment ceremony.  When a child is baptized (some people say ‘Christened’) he or she becomes a Christian, and a member of the Church.  

What is a Christian?

• A Christian is a person who believes in God, and believes that people are so important to God that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to show us how to get the very best from our lives — a new way of living.  
• A Christian believes that this ‘new life’ is possible for us because Jesus died on the cross and rose again to the new life himself.  God gives this ‘new life’ to a person at Baptism — some people say they become ‘born again’, and indeed, this is how the Bible puts it.  The person being baptized states that he or she believes the Christian Faith, and promises to try to live the Christian way.

A Symbolic Ceremony  

But Baptism is much more than just an enrolment ceremony. The things we do at a Baptism are symbolic — they are a way of expressing something deep.  Baptism is what we call a ‘Sacrament’, a ceremony in which God has promised to take part.  As we share in the symbolic actions, God shares in them too, in ways we can’t see, but trust to be true.  The main four symbols are...

• The Sign of the Cross is drawn on the forehead of the person — it is the badge of Christ worn by Christians: God accepts the person being Baptized, Christ claims the person as his own, and s/he becomes a Christian.  “Take up your cross and follow me,” said Jesus.
• The person’s name is spoken — it becomes the Christian name, the name by which God recognises him or her.  “I am the Good Shepherd, and call my own sheep by name,” said Jesus.
• Water is used to symbolize washing — God gives the person being Baptized clean start: sins are washed away, forgiven, and the ‘new life’ begins.  “I am the way, the truth and the life,” said Jesus.
• A lighted candle is given — the person is called to live the new life ‘as a light in the world’, reflecting the light of Christ.  “I am the light of the world,” said Jesus.

For more information contact

 Patsy Stephenson 01373 462715

or Fr Neil Maxted 01373 473249