Christning?

[MissRhead]

We would like to get kameron christned neither myself or OH are religious but I was christined and I belive it is up to LO too decide for himself about religoen but I'd like to give him that start. How do I go about getting him christened? Can we still go it if we don't attend church? And does it matter if OH is not christined? This might be a stupid question but what do I do, just walk into the church lol? Am I aloud, and what do I say!? I've never really been into a church for about 18 years! Thanks xx

 

[Kota]

don't quote me on it but i'm pretty sure most churches won't do a christening if neither parent is religious unless you begin to attend church prior to having them christened and agree to continue going afterwards.

 

[Mary Jo]

Adam was christened in the Church of England and we were not asked about our church-going habits. However we did have to fill in a form that asked if both parents and godparents had been baptised, which we all had (though only my husband was CofE, the rest of us were Church of Scotland and Church of Norway). We do intend to take Adam to church when he is old enough for Sunday School, as we both used to go, and I would also like him to make his own decisions about religion when he is older, but hope that they are educated decisions, iykwim.

As far as I know you would just go to or telephone a church of your choosing and ask to speak to the vicar to discuss it. Do you know anyone who goes to church? I'd go for personal recommendation if you can, at least you'd have an idea if the vicar is friendly. But my experience is that they tend to be welcoming. They want to encourage people in, not put up barriers.

 

[Tacey]

Have a look at this site: https://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/baptismconfirm/baptism1.html

That's for Church of England christenings. It might be worth going along to a Sunday service and having a chat with the vicar.

 

[xTayasMummyx]

Taya's christening was on saturday. Both me and my OH are religious and been christened. You can't get your baby christened if both parents haven't been. Not sure if this is the same for all churches, but deffinately applies to Catholic churches xxx

 

[Becky]

I don't understand why you want him baptised then!

Is it just for the party? Sound like a naming ceremony or something simular would suit your situation better!

You will be very hard pushed to find any church that will baptise him!

x

 

[xTayasMummyx]

yeah, most churches really do only baptise a baby if both parents have been! x

 

[MissRhead]

I want him christned as I myself am christined as are all my family members, I am glad I got christined as it gave me the choice, I decided against religeon but my son might not! My OH was raised strict jehovah witness and was basicly forced into this as a child and I'd like to take the opposite approach of choice. X

 

[Nickij]

I want him christned as I myself am christined as are all my family members, I am glad I got christined as it gave me the choice, I decided against religeon but my son might not! My OH was raised strict jehovah witness and was basicly forced into this as a child and I'd like to take the opposite approach of choice. X

Sorry but this doesn't make sense to me. Why would you want to get him christened if you want him to have the choice?

Surely by christening him you are taking away his choice, as you would be getting him baptised under the religion YOU choose, either church or england, catholic, or any other of the numerous different followings of Christianity there are.

If you wanted him to choose you would wait until he was older - he might want to follow, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Jehovah Witness, Catholic, or any of different religions out there.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not criticising your choice to get him baptised if that is what you want to do, but I fail to see your logic that he will then have a choice whether to follow religion or not?

I was christened but my OH was not, neither of us are particularly religious, but I choose to believe in "God" rather than believe in a religion. We have decided not to enforce any religion on our son.

However if at the age of 6 or 7 he asks if he can go to church, I will take him. If he wanted to be christened when he is older I would be happy with this.( Or choose another religion). This would truly be HIS choice. Not mine.

 

[MissRhead]

I never really thought of any other religion to be totally honest. I am also Intrested in blessings? I'm sorry if my intentions arnt that clear i am just going by how I was raised, which was if I wanted to follow god I had that choice and I was already christined and if I didn't witch I don't then that's fine also, I wasn't pushed into it?

 

[xolily]

my LO is not being christened as i'm not religious and her dad is muslim so it'll be her choice when she's old enough to decide. If you want your LO to choose himself then it's pretty pointless getting him christened.. especially as you don't attend church or anything! xx

 

[Helabela]

we got married in Church, and know the vicar would welcome us back for a christening even though we dont actually ever attend! We are both not religious, however i do beleive there is a heaven and life after death and beleived when being married in church my passed relatives where there with me. However, i dont think i want to get Sophie christened. Hubby wants to but he said its just an excuse for another party! I just dont see the point in this day and age as neither me or hubby, although both christened and attended sunday school, are religious at all. Im not sure if religion gets taught in school like it used to, i guess it depends which school she goes to, but i remember being quite educated in school about religion so no need for sunday school.

 

[xolily]

That said, all of my friends kids have been christened and none of them were church-goers so i'm pretty sure you could still get him done. x

 

[helent1983]

If you want to get your LO Christened then you go ahead babe you don't have to explain yourself!!!

My baby is getting Christened on Easter Sunday. Neither me or my OH go to church but we attended our local church one Sunday and spoke with the priest. We had to see a nun on 3 occasions just to chat about why we wanted to christen Archie and to discuss what it was all about.

He will be christened Roman Catholic by the way.

Good luck! xx

 

[Nickij]

I am sure that no church would turn away a child from being christened if that is what you want. (Although I think that Catholic churches would probably be more strict, than Church of England). If you really want him christened I would just pop into your local church and I would think there would be someone there you will be able to get some information off.

If you did choose not to get him baptised as a baby, he can still be baptised at any age though .

 

[xTayasMummyx]

You can get christened at any age i beleive. Jade Goody's little boys only got christened last year. I think what NickiJ means, is that if you want your little one to have the choice, why get him christened? Wait until he's old enough to decide for himself if you want him to choose.x

 

[welshwarriors]

We got Joe christened in Germany and it was no problem that we didnt attend church there or even lived in the parish.
I think it doesn't matter if one parent is not christened.
I would just go down to your local parish and ask, I think it strongly depends on the priest as well. When we got married we never attended church before, didn't go to the prep course cause hubby was on exercise and hubby was just to one of the 3 meetings with the priest cause he was away.

 

[ellie27]

If a christening/baptism doesnt really mean anything to you religiously then I dont know why you are doing it.

As someone else suggested, what about just a party for your new arrival?

I dont understand why someone would get their LO christened and not take LO along to the sunday service each week.

 

[bjl1981]

Hey, perhaps a naming ceremony would be better?
Being Christened means you are committing to raising him in a Christian way, and proclaiming that you, your OH and any godparents are also practising Christians (if you read the ceremony and the promises you have to make this is clear).
Not having him Christened won't stop him from choosing to become a Christian later in life if he wants to, and having him Christened won't 'make' him a Christian, personal faith alone does that.
In our church we have Dedications (where you are dedicated to raising them in a Christian way) but no baptism part, as you do that when you are old enough to make the choice yourself and decide to become a Christian.

 

[angelmummy]

i have been christened but my oh has not and we have had both our sons christened when they got to 6 months old. we just went to the church where i was christened as a baby!!! and spoke to the vicar who did my dads funeral and my stillborn sons funeral too (. The vicar did not mind that oh was not christened and we did not have to promise to go to church regularly or anything like that.

However, i do go occasionally at easter, harvest festival, christmas and some family services throughout the year but usually with my friend not my oh or ds's as my lo runs around lol!!!

i personally wanted them christened as i do believe in heaven god etc so i wanted them christened so that they are recognised by god. just my own personal thoughts.

i suppose after losing my son and dad within 6 months of each other i had to believe they were in heaven with god otherwise i could never have coped with the grief. i need to believe my little boy is up there in heaven with his grandad and i will see him one day and he was blessed when he was born asleep by the vicar too.

marie x