Celebrating a new arrival?
If you would like your child christened you will receive a warm welcome from All Saints Church, Wokingham.
Having children is perhaps the most momentous step in anyone’s life. 
With the godparents and other members of your wider family to help, you want to nurture your child so that s/he will learn to value the gifts of life, to love and care for others, to know and to hold Christian faith as his or her touchstone through life’s journey.
The sacrament of holy baptism (christening) represents the most precious gift your child can receive – beginning to live and grow in the Spirit of God, new life as a follower of Jesus Christ , and membership of the Christian church.
In the christening service we celebrate joyfully (and usually noisily when the children are as involved as they are!) the new life your child has received.
Baptism (christening) celebrates and expresses too your hopes and prayers for your child’s life and growth in the future. You will be invited to choose up to 4 godparents for your child, these should be baptised and preferably confirmed Christians who will help your child to grow in their knowledge and love of God.
We will also shortly be offering a Service of Thanksgiving as an alternative to a christening if you feel that perhaps is not the right time to have your child baptised. This service could be used to welcome a new baby or perhaps a child adopted into your family. It is a simple service that includes prayers of blessing and thanksgiving for the new arrival. It may be a stepping stone to a future christening. If you would prefer a service of thanksgiving please let the parish office know when you submit your enquiry.
Celebrating afterwards
A christening or service of thanksgiving is a great celebration and we have two great venues to offer for your celebration. There is The Cornerstone, next door to the church, with a large hall, kitchen and view out over the churchyard. And there is the church itself, where there is a servery area and large beautiful space where you can arrange tables and chairs as you wish. Please mention upon enquiring if you are interested in having your ‘after’ celebration in either of our venues.
Arranging a service
Christening services are held regularly by All Saints Church, usually on the very last Sunday of each calendar month in the afternoon.
To arrange for your child’s baptism (christening) please contact the Parish Office at The Cornerstone in Norreys Avenue by calling in during open hours, phoning on 0118 979 2797 or emailing the Parish Office.
It will greatly help us if you can first complete the form below. Please note that your preferred time and date must be confirmed by acknowledgement from the Parish Office.
Our Parish Administrator will be pleased to hear from you and advise you about the arrangements. She will send you a leaflet detailing the two services that we offer so that you can make an informed decision about what is right for your child.
If you decide to go ahead with a christening then once this is booked you will be invited to an Information Evening. These are currently being held by video conference using Zoom on either a Wednesday or Thursday evening. These are very relaxed sessions with all you need to know about the christening. Godparents are invited to join those sessions too.
Also you will be contacted by a member of the All Saints clergy to arrange to meet you by visiting you at home.
Note
Normally we expect to offer baptism (christening) for families currently resident in our Parish. Families living in St Paul’s Wokingham parish who have a connection to All Saints Church are also welcome to apply . However if you live outside the town of Wokingham and have a particular reason for wanting the service to be held at All Saints, the Rector, or another member of the clergy, will be pleased to discuss it with you. In the same way, if you have a special and exceptional need to arrange the baptism of your child on a date other than our usual baptism service dates, we will be pleased to discuss this with you and accommodate your needs if possible.
Christening Care Group
Our group is all about helping parents who are thinking about having their child christened. Our group exists to help parents make this celebration as smooth but as meaningful as possible.
To find out more, please visit our dedicated page.
