Christenings, Baptisms and Thanksgiving Services
The arrival of a new child in the family is a joyful event – Congratulations if you’re celebrating the arrival of a new baby! Saying thank you to God is a natural response to such a precious gift, and thoughts may quickly turn to a service in church. In Bursledon we offer two types of christening; either a Baptism Service, or a Thanksgiving Service.
A Thanksgiving Service, while perhaps not as well-known as a Baptism, offers parents the opportunity to celebrate, say thank you to God, and to receive prayers for your child and your family. You may invite family and friends to come and share this happy occasion with you too.
The main difference between the two services is that in a Thanksgiving service parents are not required to make promises to God and to affirm their own Christian faith. For some this allows them to maintain their integrity, if their current thoughts about the Christian faith are still developing.
Baptism on the other hand is a well-defined ceremony that initiates ‘candidates’* into the Christian family of faith. (*Baptism is available for adults and young people, as well as infants and children.)
Since the early days of the church, Christians have sought to obey the Lord Jesus by presenting themselves and their families for baptism – a simple, but meaningful ceremony, in which they profess their faith and trust in Jesus, and their commitment to follow him for the rest of their lives.
In baptism today, we follow in their footsteps and their faith; identifying with Christians who have gone before us; with those who follow Jesus all around the world today; and committing ourselves to the family of local Christians who seek to live faithfully for Jesus, today.
In the Church of England we encourage families to consider requesting a baptism service in the parish where they are living. This is because the promises we make as parents (or adult candidates) are best fulfilled within our local communities, where relationships can develop and thrive, and receive support as you grow in your faith.
In Bursledon, our process with Baptism requests is that before making a firm booking for a Baptism on a particular date, we ask the parents to attend a Baptism Preparation session which is taken by the Rev John Pawson. The session takes about an hour.
During the session we talk about two slightly different ceremonies, which give the parents options to choose an approach which best fits their understanding and approach to the Christian faith.
We include Baptisms and Thanksgivings within our normal Sunday All Age Family Services which are on the 1st Sunday of the month (9.30am at St Paul’s and 11.15am at St Leonard’s).
Please contact the Church Office if you require more information.
Weddings
Congratulations on your engagement and we wish you every happiness as you prepare for your wedding day and your married life together.
We will do our very best to help to guide you in your preparations for your special day, and to start the process it’s helpful to know in which church you are allowed to marry, and if there are any other aspects of your relationship, which may inform the steps you need to take.
The rules that guide our churches of St Leonard’s and St Paul’s are common to all Church of England churches. Here are a few of the more commonly asked questions:
In which Church may I marry?
- Do you live in the ecclesiastical parish of Bursledon?
To find out which parish you live in, enter your address and postcode after clicking on the following link: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/
(Please note, both St Leonard’s and St Paul’s churches are within Bursledon Parish, and if you qualify to be married in Bursledon, you can request either church.)
- Even if you do not currently live in Bursledon Parish, you may qualify to be married here by means of a ‘Qualifying Connection’. Please follow this link for a list of qualifying connections: https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/article/finding-a-church/
The follow questions may be specific to your situation and we have included links which will give you helpful information at this early stage in your plans. However, we would be very happy to meet with you to talk about things in a more personal way if that would be helpful.
- May I get married in church if myself or my partner, have been married before?
https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/article/marriage-after-divorce/
- May I get married in church if myself or my partner, are from outside the United Kingdom?
https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/article/information-for-foreign-nationals/
- Do you offer weddings for same-sex couples?
https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/article/information-for-same-sex-couples/
If you would like to talk to us about a wedding, please contact the church office to arrange a meeting with the vicar. Telephone 02380 406866 or email office@bursledonparish.org
The cost of a church wedding
The price for the marriage service and reading of banns is set by the Church of England. This price increases each year, but only by a few pounds.
The prices with an * are optional. (We strongly recommend at least having a verger as they prepare the church and make sure everything is ready on the day.)
The fees for 2026 are:
Marriage Service at St Paul’s Church £566.00
Publication of Banns £39.00
Flowers* £75.00
Verger* £30.00
Organist** £120.00
Choir* £100.00
We have a small flower team who will make some beautiful arrangements in the church.
The fee includes three displays:
1) on the font
2) at the front of the Church (in the chancel by the communion table) &
3) around the pulpit.
They will fit in with your colour scheme and if you have any favourite flowers, they will try to include them too! (see below for some photos)
**The cost of the organist can vary, this will be depend on what organ player is available on the day. There may also be an extra charge for a rehearsal if required.
