Rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep. – Romans 12:15
The church is here for you in all life’s biggest moments, to both share joy and sorrow. Whether you are getting married, celebrating the birth of a child or mourning the loss of someone close to you, we want to help if we can.
Baptism and christening are two words for the same thing: it is the once in a lifetime event by which one is made a member of the Church of God. It marks the beginning of a journey of faith that lasts a whole lifetime.
Anyone, child or adult, can be baptised. For children, the parents make that decision on their behalf, while adults choose this course for themselves. If baptism is chosen by an adult, it is often – but not always – after a period of preparation for confirmation and both the baptism and the confirmation are part of the same ceremony.
Unless there are very special reasons, a child should be baptised in the parish church where the family lives. This is because becoming a member of a church family is an important part of beginning the Christian journey, so it is right that the person receiving baptism is able to grow in faith among his or her own church family. Obviously, if the child’s parents already worship as part of the church family, even if they do not actually live in the parish, then we will be delighted to welcome the child too!
Baptisms at St Michael’s Church take place either before the main Sunday service at 10.30am when just the family and friends are present, or during the service at 11.00 a.m. with the whole congregation there to share in this great occasion.
There is no fee for baptism.
Traditionally, a child has three godparents; however, more or fewer are possible. Ask the Julie for guidance in this.
Please contact the Vicar, Revd. Julie Read, on 01568 708255 or kingslandchurchoffice@gmail.com.
A wedding in church is a public commitment not only in front of your family and friends, but in God’s presence, and asking God’s blessing on your marriage.
Church weddings are governed by strict legal regulations: if you want to be married at St Michael’s, one of you must live in the parish, or have a particular qualifying connection with St Michael’s. You can find out whether you live within the parish by putting your postcode into the search box at A Church Near You.com and you can find full details of acceptable qualifying connections on the Church of England’s wedding website. If you are still not sure, then do please get in touch, because we will be delighted to marry you!
For full details of optional and obligatory fees, see our full Table of Wedding or Service of Blessing Fees, which details all fees for the current year – but bear in mind that they will rise slightly if you will be married in another calendar year.
You can also download a table of Parochial Fees.
That depends on the time of year you wish to marry, and the day of the week. Saturdays are most popular and most likely to get booked up, and we would discourage you from marrying on a Sunday. No more than a year in advance of your chosen date should be plenty, but again, when in doubt, ask!
In the first instance, please contact the Vicar, Revd. Julie Read, on 01568 780255 or kingslandchurchoffice@gmail.com.
In times of bereavement, the ministry of the church is available to anyone who is a member of the congregation or who lives in the parish. Whatever the personal beliefs of the person who has died, we would like to offer our support through your process of grieving.
St Michael’s is available for funeral services, which can perhaps give you more time and space to remember a loved one than is possible at the crematorium, particularly if you think that the number of people wishing to come and celebrate the life of the deceased person will be large. However, you can also ask for the presence of a vicar to lead a crematorium service or one in a cemetery chapel if that is your wish or the wish of the person who has died. Your Funeral Director is often the first port of call, but you can ask them to liaise with the Church or you can do so directly.
Do remember that the role of the Church does not end once the funeral is over: we are here to offer a listening ear in the months or years following the death, and we hold an annual Memorial Service, All Souls, at which we are happy to continue naming and remembering your loved one for as long as you find it helpful in learning to live with your loss. Everyone is unique and special in the eyes of God, both the bereaved and the dead.
For information on funeral fees, see our Table of Funeral Fees.
You can discuss any questions you might have with the Vicar, Revd. Julie Read on 01568-708255 or rev.julie@mortimerscrosschurches.co.uk.
