We are delighted to hear of the birth of your child! It is a great privilege and joy to bring a child into the world and a great responsibility that God has given you. We are especially glad that you want to mark this occasion with a church ceremony.

Service Information

At LIFE Anglican Church, we offer a special service called a Naming Service with Thanksgiving to God. This is a type of christening service which provides parents an opportunity to publicly thank God for the birth of a child and to seek God’s blessing on their family.

This ceremony can usually be held on Sunday afternoons (outside regular morning and evening service times) or Saturdays. The actual time and date for the service can easily be arranged with one of our ministers.

A Naming and Thanksgiving is offered to anyone who would like to have an association with our church and who would like to mark their child’s birth by giving thanks to God for such a wonderful gift. During this service a presentation of a Bible is made to the child by the Godparents and a certificate is presented to mark this special occasion.

There is no fee for this service but we would be delighted if you would like to join us for church at any of our weekend services. We also run lots of groups for families and children. You can find details about our playgroups and other kids groups here: marsdenpark.church/kids

Naming or Baptism: What's Different?

You may be wondering: “what’s the difference between a Naming and Thanksgiving Service and a Baptism?” In a way both are types of christening services, since both involve the concept of “naming”. The main difference between the two is that the Naming and Thanksgiving enables parents to thank God for the birth of their child without obligation or expectation of regular commited membership at our church. Baptism, on the other hand, is a sign of membership in God’s church. It is a ceremony which symbolizes Jesus’ death and our “death-to-self”, and therefore carries with it various responsibilities and privileges. Baptism is a sign of discipleship which, for Jesus’ followers, involves a complete change of lifestyle, including a desire to meet regularly 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. You can start right away at this helpful website which explains the basics of the Christian faith. We also offer an introductory course called Alpha which consists of 5 short sessions that are usually held over a 5 week period, and can be presented to you in your home or with a group.

Get in Touch!

If you would like to celebrate your child’s birth with our special Naming and Thanksgiving and give thanks to God for this gift of new life, then please fill in the application form. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office office@marsdenpark.church .