Life Events
Book a Wedding
If you would like to book a wedding, please come along to a Sunday service and someone will be available afterwards to deal with your request. Similarly, if you need your Banns of Marriage reading here because you are being married in another church, please come along any Sunday morning at 11 am.
You can also contact office@bedworthparish.org for more information.
MARRIGE PREPARATION COURSE
Bedworth Parish offers a marriage preparation course for all those getting married. All couples marrying in Bedworth are invited along to talk about building strong and lasting relationships. Whilst based on Christian principles, it is relevant & helpful for any engaged couple with or without a Christian faith or church background. Just like everything else with your wedding day, actually preparing as a couple for marriage is really important. Research shows that the most influential single activity that reduces divorce rates for couples is attending a marriage preparation course. It is because of this research that we ask all couples getting married at in Bedworth to attend a marriage preparation course. However, we don’t believe that the course is like taking medicine – horrible, but ultimately good for you. Feedback from couples from previous years has been extremely positive, with all saying how much they enjoyed it and would recommend it to other couples.
For more information about getting married in church please visit the Church of England’s Wedding Planning website – www.yourchurchwedding.org
Thanksgiving and Infant Baptism
We’re delighted you’re thinking of a baptism/christening or thanksgiving for your child. Bedworth Parish welcomes everyone who is interested in either service. Both the Thanksgivings and Baptisms take place at our 11 am service.
What’s involved?
If you wish to book a baptism then you need to attend the Baptism Preparation. This means attending the first 4 sessions of Alpha which starts September, January and after Easter. We would encourage you to come along to the 11am Sunday Service as regularly as you can so that we can get to know you and so that you feel comfortable.
What's the difference between a thanksgiving and baptism?
Your child is precious to you and precious to God. A Thanksgiving service is a way of thanking God for His gift of life, and asking for God’s blessing on your child as they start their journey of life. Infant baptism takes this decision one step further as parents and godparents are asked to promise to God that they will raise their child to know that God loves them, and to help them, as a member of the Church, to follow Jesus. Parents make promises to God on behalf of their child and ask for the church’s support as their child starts the journey of faith.
Some typical questions
My child is 5 – is that too old?
No. A person can be baptised at any age. When a child is old enough to understand what will happen at baptism, then we prefer they attend our Sunday School, before committing to baptism. That is because the promises made by parents and godparents at baptism are about helping the child to experience the Christian faith as s/he grows up. Encouraging your child to be an active member of our Sunday School is the most obvious way of you carrying out that promise and demonstrating how you will support your child as s/he grows up.
And adults – can they be baptised?
Yes. We welcome adults enquiring about being baptised. For an adult, baptism is a significant stage on our journey with God, because we recognise that God has reached out to us, and we want to show our love and commitment to him in response. Usually adults being baptised will be regular worshippers in our church. If you are thinking about taking this step of faith, please get in touch, and we will be pleased to discuss this with you.
Can I have a private baptism?
There is no such thing as private baptism – baptism is about belonging to the world-wide church, and all our baptisms occur during our church services.
How much does baptism cost?
Nothing. Baptisms and Thanksgivings are free. However, we do invite people to make a generous donation to our parish. Our two churches receive no funding from the state to help with maintenance. Your generous offering (gift-aided if possible) helps to ensure the church will be here for future generations.
For more information about our thanksgiving or infant baptism services pop along to one of our Sunday Services or get in touch with Rev. Ann.
confIrmation
If you have been baptised, but want to make a new and more in-depth commitment to Christ, you may wish to consider being confirmed. At a Confirmation Service, which is led by a Bishop. Those who are to be confirmed declare their faith in God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and undertake to follow Christ in their daily lives. For more information on Confirmation, visit the Church of England website’s page on Confirmation.
Confirmation is a very important stage in one’s journey of faith, and a Confirmation service is therefore a major event of commitment and celebration. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of Confirmation, please contact the parish office on 02476 310688 or office@bedworthparish.org. You will then be contacted by one of the clergy, who will explain what is involved in Confirmation. In order to prepare candidates for Confirmation, preparation sessions are held from time to time in one of the churches.
Funerals
Many of us are bewildered by approaching death and confused by the possibilities presented to us when we are faced with the need to plan a funeral. If you are recently bereaved, we do offer you our condolences and hope that we may be able to offer you our support and help at this time.
As a first step, at the time of death you will probably have been in touch with a Funeral Director. The funeral director should guide you and will usually contact the church on your behalf to make arrangements for a funeral whether that is to be in our church or at a Crematorium. You are of course welcome to get in touch with us at any time if you wish via the Parish Office on 02476 310688 or office@bedworthparish.org.
The Church of England has developed a website with many helpful pages and this link will take you there. You can even light a virtual candle for your loved one. Follow this link to do that now.
Ministry at the Time of Death
Clergy work in a number of nursing homes and the hospital, as do a number of trained lay people. They are all willing to support the family of those who are with their loved ones at the time of death, either by just being there, or by offering the prayers of commendation. Families can request a minister by asking the staff at the hospital or the nursing home to call them.
Please contact Rev David Poultney (0247 610 2141) at any time, day or night, if someone is very ill and requires the ministry of a priest.
After the Funeral
Every year, in May and November, a special evening service is held at All Saints and the names of those who are to be remembered are read out in the prayer time. Those who have been bereaved in the past year will be invited and are encouraged to attend.