We are delighted to hear of the birth of your child. It is a great responsibility that God has given you, and it is also a great privilege and joy to bring a child into the world. We are especially glad that you want to mark this occasion with a church ceremony.
At St Luke's Miranda we offer a special service called A Naming Service with Thanksgiving to God. This is a type of christening service where parents can have their child appropriately named, with prayers offered to God, and have their child receive a blessing from God, in the presence of their friends and family together with the baby's godparents.
This ceremony sometimes takes place in our regular Sunday morning church service. However, since many parents who come for their baby's public naming aren't regular members of St Luke's, we are more than happy to offer this service at a time that suits you. The time and date for this service can easily be arranged with one of the ministers.
There is no fee for this service. There is no need for you to make any commitment to St Luke's Church. Although we would be delighted if you would like to join us for church on any Sunday, we realise that not everyone is ready for that level of commitment. This Naming Service is offered to anyone who would like to have an association with our church, and would like to mark their child's birth by giving thanks to God for such a wonderful gift.
Some people ask what is the difference between a Naming Service and a Baptism. In a way both are types of christening services, since both are associated with the concept of "naming". The main difference between the two is that the Naming Service enables parents to thank God for the birth of their child, without obligation. Baptism, on the other hand, is a sign of membership in God's church. It is a ceremony which symbolises Jesus' death and our death, and therefore carries with it various responsibilities. Baptism is a sign of discipleship which, for Jesus' followers, involves a complete change of lifestyle, including a commitment to meet together with God's people.
If you would like to know more about what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we would love to help you get to know him better. We offer a six week introductory course called Christianity Explained, which can be organised by some of our church members to run in your own home, if you prefer.
If you would like to celebrate your child's birth with our special Naming Ceremony and give thanks to God for this gift of new life, then please fill out the application on the back of this leaflet. If you have any questions you might like to ask, then please do not hesitate to contact one of our ministry team at the church office.
St Luke’s Ministry Team....
details here
Sunday Services at St Luke's Anglican Church Miranda
details here
FULL NAME OF CHILD ............................................................................
DATE OF BIRTH .....................................................................................
FATHER'S FULL NAME ..........................................................................
MOTHER'S FULL NAME .........................................................................
ADDRESS .........................................................................
PHONE NO. .........................................................................
FULL NAMES OF GODPARENTS
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
DATE & TIME REQUESTED
.........................................................................
Document added 09 October 1997.
Anglican Church League, www.acl.asn.au