APPLICATION FOR CHILD BAPTISM FORM - St George's Anglican Church

Please read these conditions carefully before you complete the application form and consult us if you have any questions.

Before reading more about baptism, we want to draw your attention to our expectations if you want your child baptised at St George’s:

1. It is important to be an attending member of a church. It need not necessarily be an Anglican church, but you need to provide evidence of such membership and the contact details of the priest/minister of your church for our verification. If you are not currently a member of a church, you must join St George’s as a member and worship regularly with us for a period of at least six months before you can apply for the baptism of your child.

2. We usually baptise four or five times a year on designated dates at the 09h00 Sunday service. These dates are pre-set at the beginning of the year to follow the Baptismal Preparation Programmes. We do not ordinarily baptise on random dates at the convenience of an applicant unless there is good reason to do so.

3. If it is not possible to conduct a Baptism on the date requested by the parents, it is possible, as an interim step, to conduct a service which is specifically designed to celebrate the gathering of a family on the occasion of the birth of a child. This service is called, “Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child” and it may be conducted at any time and any place that suits the family.

4. You must agree to attend all sessions of the Baptismal Preparation Programme.

5. You must have an interview with one of the clergy of the Parish.

INTRODUCTION

Few events in life have quite the wonder and awe of new birth. Not surprisingly, for us as Christians, birth illustrates the love of God in a unique way. The Christian faith teaches that your child is God’s gift to you. We follow the Scriptures in taking your child’s baptism seriously. Our policy, outlined below, is designed to help you understand what your child’s baptism means, and to help us deal with this important event in a way which respects its Christian meaning.

WHAT BAPTISM IS NOT

These days, before saying what baptism is, it is necessary to say what it is not, because there appears to be no other area of Christian life so imbued with superstition. Baptism is not a ‘magic charm’ or ‘talisman’ that protects your child from harm. Today, while it remains orthodox Christian teaching that all human beings are sinners, we believe that every child is primarily an illustration of the wonderful love of God. Baptism is also not the rite of name-giving – a ceremony often confused with Christening.

WHAT BAPTISM IS

Baptism is an act of God expressed through Christ’s church. It expresses God’s love for your child, already shown in his/her creation. God has entrusted your child to you, the parent/s. Within this life God has given you the privilege and the task of revealing God’s love to your child, by your teaching and your example. Thus, the Baptismal service asks you to make promises that you are ready and willing to undertake this responsibility. The Anglican Prayer Book (1989) says that; ‘The two main sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, together with Confirmation, all relate to identification with Jesus Christ in his Paschal Mystery: that is, his birth, death, resurrection and ascension, and the giving of the Holy Spirit, all understood in the light of the Passover.’ The Baptism of your child thus expresses our faith that the purpose of life is that we should know and live in God’s love for us, expressed in many ways but most centrally for Christians in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Anglican Prayer Book (1989) thus explains that; ‘Whilst the response of faith has to be made by each individual, human life is always lived in community. Children are born into a human family and those who are Baptised are brought into the family of God, the Church. St Paul says, ‘By one Spirit we were all baptised into one body’ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Those who are baptised into the Body of Christ share in his anointing by the Spirit. United in him, they are to serve God in the world in a ministry of caring and compassion.’ Baptism therefore expresses your intention to commit yourselves and your child to Christ, by bringing your child into the church and living out the Christian life. This is why baptism is not primarily a family occasion, but in fact, a church occasion.

GODPARENTS

Godparents or Sponsors are primary representatives of the congregation throughout your child’s life. They should therefore also be members of a church. The primary requirement for Godparents is church membership, not friendship or family ties, though obviously it is ideal if good friends or family also meet the primary requirement of church membership. It is also important not to confuse a Godparent with a legal guardian. A Godparent may also be a legal guardian if you wish, but a Godparent’s primary responsibility is to ensure that you remain true to the promises you make at the Baptismal service and that you, as parent/s, raise your child in a manner befitting the faith and virtue of Christ.

WHAT HAS BAPTISM GOT TO DO WITH CONFIRMATION?

The church Baptises young children soon after their birth to dedicate them to God within the life of the church. During this time children are too young to understand this commitment and assume responsibility for their Baptism themselves. Thus you, the Parents, Godparents, and the Church take on this responsibility on their behalf until such time as your child is mature enough to ‘Confirm’ that Baptism for themselves. This usually happens at about the age of sixteen at which time your child will be required to attend a Confirmation preparation course if he/she wishes to make a Christian commitment for themselves.

WHAT ABOUT THE HOLY EUCHARIST?

Christian initiation is fulfilled in the Holy Eucharist or Communion. In the sacrament of Communion, under the outward signs of bread and wine, Christian’s share in the life of Christ. The Anglican Prayer Book (1989) says that; ‘In the Holy Eucharist the life given in Baptism is fed and sustained with the heavenly food of the body and blood of Christ.’ Whilst many children will receive their first Communion at their Confirmation, Baptism is the sacramental rite which permits children to receive the bread and the wine. It is therefore permitted, at the discretion of the parents, to allow their children to receive Communion before they get Confirmed and there is usually a simple little course for the children to explain what Communion means after which they may be admitted to receive Communion in the Church.

APPLICATION FOR THE BAPTISM OF A CHILD

Today's Date

Proposed date of baptism

(Please check the church schedule for available dates BEFORE inserting your choice)

Child's Full names and surname

Father's Full names and surname

Mother's Full names and surname

Child's Gender

Male
Female

Child's Date of Birth

Child's Place of Birth

Is/are the parent/s married?

Yes
No
Divorced
Widowed

Residential address

Postal Address

Home Phone

Father's Cell Phone

Mother's Cell Phone

An Email Address *

Father’s occupation

Mother’s occupation

Father’s place of baptism

Father’s Date of baptism

Father’s place of Confirmation

Father’s Date of confirmation

Mother’s place of baptism

Mother’s Date of baptism

Mother’s place of Confirmation

Mother’s Date of confirmation

Agreement: 1. If I/we have not already done so, I/we agree to attend a Baptismal Preparation Programme. 2. By baptism, we publicly declare our commitment to the Christian faith. 3. As such, we hereby commit ourselves to raise our child within the Christian faith. 4. I/we commit myself/ourselves to attend church regularly in order to remain true to the vows we will make at the baptism of our child. *

Godparents full names and surnames (you may have up to 4 if you wish)

Father's Signature *

Mother's Signature *

Popi Act: We respect your right to privacy and therefore aim to ensure that we comply with the legal requirement of the POPI Act which regulates the manner in which we collect, process, store, share and destroy any personal information which you have provided to us.