Contact
Baptisms,
Weddings & Funerals
Significant life events
One of the ways the Church of England serves the community is by conducting baptisms, marriages and funerals.
We would be very glad to hear from you if you are interested in any of these services, and will do all we can to help you mark these significant life events, whether at St Bartholomew’s or elsewhere.
Baptisms
Baptism is the sacrament Christ gave to his Church as the sign of new birth. In it the promises of the forgiveness of sins, and of our adoption as children of God through faith in Christ, are visibly signed and sealed. It marks the beginning of the Christian life and of membership of his Church.
We are glad to baptise infants and children, and adults who have not been baptised before. When a child is baptised, parents and godparents promise to bring them up in the Christian faith, so we meet beforehand to talk through what those promises mean.
Baptisms normally take place during Sunday worship, when the church family is gathered to welcome its newest member.
Weddings
Marriage is a gift of God in creation: the lifelong union of husband and wife, in which Scripture also shows us a picture of the union between Christ and his Church.
In a church wedding you make your vows before God, in the presence of family and friends, and we pray for God’s blessing on your life together.
You are normally entitled to be married at St Bartholomew’s if either of you lives in the parish or is on our church electoral roll. You may also be able to marry here if you have another connection with the parish: for example, if one of you was baptised here, has lived or worshipped here in the past, or if your parents or grandparents were married here. We would be glad to talk through your circumstances and the legal preliminaries with you.
Funerals
The death of someone we love is among the hardest things we face. A Christian funeral gives space to mourn, to give thanks for a life, and to hear the hope of the gospel: that Jesus Christ died and rose again, and that all who trust in him will share in his resurrection.
The clergy of St Bartholomew’s can take a funeral in church, at a crematorium or at a cemetery, for anyone who lived in the parish or had a connection with the church, whether or not they attended regularly. Your funeral director will usually contact us on your behalf, but you are welcome to speak to us directly at any point.
Burial of ashes
After a cremation, ashes may be buried in our Garden of Remembrance. One of the clergy leads a short service of committal, which family and friends are welcome to attend.
Please get in touch to talk through the arrangements, including who may be buried here and what form of memorial is permitted.
Get in touch
To find out more about any of this life events and to explore next steps, please email Charlie Butler, our Vicar, and he will be in touch.