Welcome.
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Key stages
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Our churches
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Our calendar
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If you
are organising an event please check here for any clashes, and, If you
would like your event added to our calendar then please contact the
webmaster
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Baptism
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 Children
are a gift from God. Naturally, many parents want to celebrate their
arrival with some form of service in church. The Churches of the Len
Valley Benefice (St. Nicholas, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and All
Saints) are part of the Church of England which, like many churches,
uses two main services to celebrate the birth of a child:
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Thanksgiving
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Baptism (sometimes called
‘Christening’)
Both normally take place
during our morning family worship services.
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THANKSGIVING - Thanksgiving is a service for those who wish, quite
simply, to say ‘thank you’ to God for their child. We say prayers for
the child and the family, we name and bless the child and give a
children’s Bible which tells the story of Jesus.
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 BAPTISM
- Baptism is for those who want to state their intention to bring up
their child as a Christian. It therefore involves words of commitment to
Jesus Christ and to the Church. As well as the words of commitment, we
name the child, water is poured over the child and prayers are said.
Baptism is the mark of being part of the Christian Church. Families
bringing their child for baptism hope that one day their child will be
confirmed and make this commitment to Jesus and to church for
themselves. To do this, they will naturally want to continue to attend
church as a family.
You will need to think very carefully about
this service as you will be asked to make a clear and personal
confession of the Christian faith.
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Some questions answered
What is the role of a Godparent ?
 Godparents
are those who agree to be especially concerned for their Godchild's
development, particularly their spiritual growth. Ideally, they will be
committed to pray for them. You need at least one male and one female
Godparent (up to a maximum of four). They need to be baptised and
confirmed but the priest can dispense with the requirement of
confirmation. Why not visit
www.egodparent.com?
Once my child has been baptised, have I completed my Christian
duty?
No, it's only just begun! At baptism, parents and Godparents commit
themselves to help the child grow up as a Christian, believing and
trusting in God. Parents in particular need to encourage their child to
come to church to worship regularly, to read the Bible and to pray.
These will be crucial if your child is to continue in the Christian
faith. The Church will give you plenty of help with this!
Is my child 'worse off' if I choose Thanksgiving ?
Not at all! God loves everyone, whether your child has had a Service
of Baptism, Thanksgiving or nothing at all.
What if I want baptism but don't feel I can make a clear commitment
to Jesus Christ and his Church?
It is important that at least one parent is able to say the
baptismal promises honestly and with integrity. If neither of you think
you can do that, then it is best to have a thanksgiving service, or to
wait. Waiting can be a good option. There is no hurry to have your baby
‘done’! You may want to think more about the implications of Christian
faith for you and your family. If so, why not find out more? You could
join one of our courses, such as “Alpha” or “Start”.
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What do I do next?
We have a baptism enquiry evening every three months. This is a
short (less than one hour) meeting for all enquirers to come and find
out more about baptism and thanksgiving services and to meet the clergy
and baptism visitors. Please ring Mrs Michelle Saunders (01622 850604)
for more details of the next meeting
Contact the Parish Office between 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday
to arrange to talk to someone about the next step for you.
If you have not been to a service at one of our churches before,
come along to one of our family services; there is a rota below. There
are facilities and groups for children. The service lasts about an hour
and would be an ideal opportunity to get a feel for what you are
undertaking, especially if you are planning on a Service of Baptism.
If you decide to go ahead with baptism, you will need to arrange for
the Baptism visitors and clergy to meet with you at times to suit the
family. We will also need to meet with the Godparents before the
baptism.
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Family service times
St. Nicholas, Boughton Malherbe 9.30am 4th Sunday
St. John the Baptist, Harrietsham 9.30am 1st Sunday
St. Mary, Lenham 11.00am 4th Sunday
All Saints, Ulcombe 11.15am 1st Sunday
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Some useful numbers:
Vicar Rev Dr Dick Venn 01622 858195
Office Mrs Michelle Saunders 01622 850604 (9am – 12 noon)
email churchoffice@lvb.org.uk
dickvenn@gmail.com
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