Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals are important milestones in our lives, and these are times when many people feel that they would like to mark the occasion with a Church ceremony of some kind.
We would be delighted to discuss your plans with you and see how we might help. Please contact our Minister for more information.
We offer both Infant and Adult Baptisms. We also offer a service of Thanksgiving and Blessing (or Dedication). Baptisms and Dedications are normally held as part of regular Sunday morning worship on dates previously agreed to suit the Church’s programme of worship.
It is not the policy of the URC to baptise persons who have been baptised before.
The North Cotswolds Group follows the teaching and practices of the wider denomination; when parents contact a church to enquire about baptism, the minister or a church elder will visit to talk through their understanding of baptism, their commitment to the Christian Faith and the promises they will be asked to make.
If they are not church-goers and cannot, in all truthfulness, promise to bring the child up in the life of the church, then there is an alternative service of Thanksgiving and Blessing, where thanks are given for the gift of the child and God’s blessing given to the child and parents. The child can, when she/he is older, make his/her own decision to be baptised.
The Promises (see below) should be given serious thought before a decision is made regarding the type of service required.
BAPTISM
The promises asked of parents are:
Do you believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Do you promise, trusting in God’s grace, that by prayer and example you will teach xxxxx the faith of the gospel and bring him/her up in the worship and life of the Church?
Godparents are asked:
Do you promise, trusting in God’s grace, to pray and care for xxxxx and support his/her family as you are able?
THANKSGIVING and BLESSING
The promise asked of parents is:
Do you promise, by God’s grace, so to live that your child will be surrounded by love and goodness?
If you wish to have yourself or your child baptised or dedicated then please contact the Minister.
The North Cotswolds Group offers traditional Marriage Services in the URC and Services of Blessing for Civil Partnership Ceremonies which have taken place elsewhere.
If you wish to be married in one of our Churches please contact the Minister. A meeting will then be arranged with you and your future partner to to discuss your desire for a Church Wedding.
If you are about to contract a Civil Partnership (or have already done so) and would like it to be blessed in Church then this can be done at Prestbury URC. As with a request for a marriage service in church, this will need to be discussed with the Minister.
Through funerals and services of thanksgiving, our churches offer support to families and friends faced with the loss of a loved one. The Minister would be able to meet with you to discuss and plan a service. You can do this together. Only you can know what is the most helpful way to say goodbye.