Baptism and Thanksgiving services
We offer baptisms for all ages, and also thanksgiving services.
Baptism
For a child, baptism or a christening marks the beginning of a journey of faith, which involves finding out more about Jesus and learning to follow him, and being part of the Christian Community – both local and worldwide. There is no difference between a christening service and a baptism service. Some churches will use the word ‘baptism’ and some the word ‘christening’. The moment when your child has water poured or wiped on their head is the actual baptism and is at the heart of the service.
Over the years to come, it’s a journey you’ll share together with your child and their godparents by:
Being there for your child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
Praying for your child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.
Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.
Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.
So it’s a commitment to start as you mean to go on.
Thanksgiving and naming services
It’s possible to have this service instead of a christening if you decide that now isn’t the right time to have your child baptised, or you would like to give them the choice when they are older.
You might also choose this service when your baby is just born, or if you have adopted a child into your family and you simply want to celebrate this with special words said by a vicar in church. You can choose to have sponsors to support the child in their journey of faith without having the formality of godparents.
Baptisms as an Adult
You are never too old to be baptised, and being baptised as an adult is a fantastic experience. If you have already been baptised when you were a child, or in a different Christian tradition, there are special ways to renew your commitment and promises to God.
When can we book in a baptism?
Baptisms and Thanksgiving services at St Mary’s are on occasion held in the 11am service and we offer a separate service dedicated to the baptism. We currently have availability for baptisms in our 11am service on 18 October 2026, 14 March and 17 October 2027. We are offering separate baptism services in the afternoons of 20 September 2026, and on 16 May, 4 July, 19 September and 28 November 2027.
Thanksgivings can be a stand-alone service or part of our regular 11am services. They are a much more flexible option so you can discuss your options with the member of the team who will be supporting your family as part of the process.
At St Catherine’s, baptisms take place in the 9.30am service on the third Sunday of the month. In special circumstances, you can request a private baptism outside of a Sunday service.
FAQs
Yes, if you live in the Thame Parish.
If you live outside Thame then you need to be a regular worshipper at St Mary’s/St Catherine’s or have a qualifying connection with the parish. The connections we are looking for are:
– A parent has lived in the parish for six months or more
– The parents were married at St Mary’s/St Catherine’s
– A parent or sibling was baptised at St Mary’s/St Catherine’s
– A parent or sibling was prepared for confirmation St Mary’s/St Catherine’s
If you have no connection with Thame or St Mary’s then the baptism should normally take place in the parish church where you live. You can find out where this is on the Church of England website.
Please use the enquiry form to let us know that you are interested. A member of the admin team will then in touch to get the necessary information and to arrange a date.
We strongly recommend that the person being baptised or the parent/guardian of a child being baptised attends a baptism preparation session at St Mary’s. This will allow you to ask any questions you may have, and for us to get to know you and your family better. Our baptism preparations sessions will be held on Sunday 6 September, 12.30-2pm 2026, and on Sunday 14 February and Sunday 12 September, 12.30-2pm 2027. We won’t be able to proceed with the planning until you have committed to attending a preparation session. If you aren’t able to attend, please let us know and we will arrange another time for you to meet with a member of the clergy.
We also ask that you attend a baptism service to meet with the clergy and gain an understanding of what the service will look like. If you can’t make a baptism service, please arrange another time to meet with the clergy.
Baptisms at St Mary’s are very popular so there are usually 3-4 families who will have their child baptised in the same service. In special circumstances, you can request a private baptism with only your loved ones in attendance. Please let us know in the enquiry form if you would prefer a private service.
During the baptism service the child’s parents and godparents, or the adult being baptised, declare their decision to turn to Christ, to repent of their sins and to renounce evil. They then affirm their belief and trust in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Once the decision and affirmation have been made, the priest makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the person being baptised and then baptises them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit by pouring water on their head.
At the end of the service the child or adult is given a lit candle to remind them to shine like a light in the world to the glory of God. We suggest that you light the candle on the anniversary of the baptism to remind you of the baptism promises you have made.
Every child should have at least three godparents, two of the same sex and at least one of the opposite sex to your child. Although there is no official maximum number of godparents, three or four is usual. If you’d like more than that, talk to the team about the practicalities and we’ll be pleased to advise.
Because of the very special role godparents have in supporting your child’s faith journey, they must be baptised themselves. Ideally they should be confirmed too, but let us know if this isn’t possible. If the selected godparents are not baptised or confirmed, please mention this during the booking process and a member of the team will have a conversation with your family.
You can read more about choosing godparents on the Church of England’s website.
It is free to have a child or yourself baptised. You are welcome to donate to Thame Church if you would like to do so.
Contact us
If you would like to explore having your child or yourself baptised or a thanksgiving service, please fill out the Enquiry Form.
Read more
Discover more about baptism in the Anglican church and thanksgiving services.