Weddings & Baptisms

This page contains basic information about Baptisms (Christenings) and Weddings at St Peter’s Church. Please scroll down to the section you are interested in.

Baptism or Christening

….making a new beginning

....becoming part of God’s family

Baptism is the Church’s special welcome into God’s family of the Church. People are normally baptised as babies, but many are baptised as children, young people or adults.

When a baby arrives, families and friends want to celebrate, and want to join in saying “thank you” for the miracle of new life. A Baptism or Christening Service caters for all this. It also includes promises about Jesus and the church and prays for God’s protection and blessing.

Everyone is baptised using water, in the name of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, for Jesus himself was baptised in the waters of the river Jordan. Parents and godparents make promises for babies and young children who cannot answer for themselves. Parents, godparents and the church family also make promises of their own, to provide the person being baptised with the opportunities and encouragement they need to follow Jesus.

At St Peter’s, all who are baptised have the sign of the cross made on their forehead, and all are given a lighted candle, to symbolise the light of Christ in our life. Baptism normally leads to ‘confirmation’ when young people and adults confirm the decision made on their behalf by their parents and godparents when they were babies.

Baptisms at St Peter’s Church

....questions you may have

· You want to book a Christening? If you'd like to arrange a baptism, come along one Sunday morning to our 10 o’clock service, and speak to the clergy at the end. We have a children’s corner and baby-changing facilities which can be used during services.

· What time do Baptisms take place? Baptisms can take place on a Sunday either at 12noon or during our monthly 10 o’clock Family Service. On some occasions, there may be a second family having their child christened at the same service, but we will always make your christening as personal as possible.

· Do we have to attend church? If your service is at 12noon, we ask you to attend a 10 o’clock Family Service a few weeks after your child’s baptism, so that, as the church family, we at St Peter’s can play our part in the ‘welcome’ section of the baptism service. In the baptism service, parents and godparents make promises about helping their child to take a part in church life - so we hope that you will feel able to make a commitment to attend church and children's activities such as Sunday "Ten o'clock Club" as they grow up.

· Can we have hymns or music? At 12 noon services, it is often possible for our organist to stay on to play a hymn at the baptism. A list of suggested hymns is available from the church. It can add a personal touch in the service if a member of your family or friends would like to read a bible reading or poem. The service must include at least one bible reading, and suggested readings are available from the church.

· What if I live outside Coggeshall? Under church rules, we are normally only allowed to baptise someone who has an address within the parish boundary or is a church member. But sometimes it is possible to do Christenings for people outside Coggeshall - please talk to the vicar if you would like to discuss this more.

How many Godparents may we have? Prospective godparents must be at least themselves have been Christened before they can take on this responsibility. A godparent may or may not be related to the child, and a child may have one or several godparents. Traditionally a child is given two godparents of their own sex and one of the opposite, ie - a baby boy has two godfathers and one godmother and a baby girl has one godfather and two godmothers. But there are no strict rules about this, and the number of godparents that a child has is left to you to decide. It will be important that godparents are people who will provide a good role model for your child, and will help them to learn something about the Christian faith as they grow up.

· Are there fees for Baptisms or Christenings? There are no charges for baptisms in the Church of England but if you would like to make a donation, it would be greatly appreciated!

· Can adults or older children and young people be Christened? Yes! but different church rules apply. So - if you are an adult and are thinking about Baptism or Confirmation, please get in touch with the vicar.

· How can I get a duplicate/replacement baptism certificate? If you need a copy of a baptism certificate between May 1991 and the present day, please contact the vicar. If the baptism took place before May 1991 please contact the Essex County Records Office on 01245 244644.

Getting Married at St Peter’s

…your special day

· We will do everything we can at St Peter’s to make your marriage day a very special occasion, marking the beginning of a long and very happy marriage.

· If you would like to get married in church, come along one Sunday morning to our 10 o’clock service, and speak to the clergy at the end. We will then arrange to see you to talk through all the details, and to see if the church is free on your preferred date.

…what about rules and regulations?

· Normally, we are only permitted to marry you if one of you has an address within the parish boundary. Under new regulations, you will also qualify if you have a past link with the parish - for example if your parents were married at the church - contact the Vicar to discuss this, or look at the Church of England web page for details. You also qualify if you are baptised and have worshipped at St Peter’s for six months. You also need to be over 18 to marry (you can still get married if you are 16 or 17 but you need to have parent/guardian consent).

· Marriage after a divorce is a possibility at St Peter’s, though different church rules apply. Contact the vicar to discuss this.

…Marriage Certificates and Banns of Marriage

· If you live in Coggeshall but are getting married elsewhere, you may need us to call your banns of marriage. Please contact us by email or by calling 01376 561234 to arrange this.

· We can supply duplicate/replacement marriage certificates for weddings that took place at St Peter’s between August 2004 and the present day. Please email us about this or ring 01376 561234. If the marriage took place before August 2004, contact please contact the Essex County Records Office on 01245 244644

…some practical points about weddings

· You will be invited to attend our annual Marriage Preparation day in February. This is a morning designed to help you plan your wedding day and to help you begin to think about life as a married couple.

· We will arrange for your ‘Banns’ to be read out in church for three Sundays during the three months before the wedding. Banns are simply an announcement of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. Banns need to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as at the church in which you are to be married, if that is another parish.

· We will arrange for an organist to play for your wedding, and we can normally provide flowers in church. If you would like St Peter’s church bells rung or for St Peter’s choir to sing at your wedding, please speak to the vicar.

· A rehearsal is normally arranged a day or two before your wedding day.

…the wedding day

· Video recordings of your service are normally permitted, but we have to charge you an extra fee for this to cover copyright material – ask the vicar about this.

· Confetti – we are happy for your guests to throw confetti, but this must be biodegradable confetti, which we have available for sale in church at all weddings.

· How much does it cost? Wedding fees at St Peter’s will vary according to your requirements. If you budget for about £650, this should cover most things such as your ‘statutory’/diocesan fees, bell ringers, choir, etc. A current table of fees is available from the church, and in cases of hardship, please speak to the vicar.

· More information about legal requirements, the church service and the Christian understanding of marriage may be found on the Chelmsford Diocese website or the Church of England website.

· Finally… if you have any questions at all, please just contact us by email or by ringing 01376 561234.