Baptisms
Welcoming a baby or a child into your home is one of life’s miracles. It can be a time to celebrate with family and friends and thank God for the gift of life.
The Church of England offers two types of services to publicly state our commitment to giving our child the love and care they need to grow and flourish, baptism (also known as a Christening) or a service of thanksgiving.
A service of thanksgiving for the gift of a child can include; giving thanks for your child’s birth or adoption, naming your child, blessing and anointing your child, and praying for parents and carers and all who support you.
Baptism, is also known as Christening, marks a decision to enter fully into the Christian community. Baptism is one way of marking the beginning of our journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives. You can be baptised at any age, although infants and young children are baptised on the understanding that their families will bring them up in the Christian Way. This includes belonging to a church community where they can learn what it means to follow Jesus’ vision for a world transformed by love, justice and freedom.
For adults, baptism and confirmation usually take place together. We welcome enquiries whatever the marital status of parents – married or not, in same sex relationships or single.
A Service of Thanksgiving or Baptism can take place within a Sunday service or at another time. If you do not attend a church currently we would encourage you to make contact with us.
Weddings
Marriage
Entering into a life-long commitment with your partner is exciting. We’d love to discuss with you how we might accompany you in your preparations and as you take your next steps of trust and faithfulness.
Currently the Church of England defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. Hope Parish Liverpool is bound by this definition, but we welcome enquiries from same sex couples who would like their commitment blessed and affirmed, possibly following a civil partnership or marriage at a registry office, or in a church of another denomination. Not all of our churches currently offer this provision but please do get in touch if you’d like more information.
You do not need to be baptised or to attend church in order to be married at one of our churches in Hope Parish Liverpool. People who have been married before and are legally divorced can also apply, but you do need a relevant connection. There is a list of qualifying connections here […]
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It can seem a bit complicated and we are more than happy to talk this through with you. A conversation is often the best way forward so do contact us.
If you would like chat about having a Church of England wedding in Hope Parish Liverpool, please get in touch via our Contact Page.
Funerals
If you lose someone you love it can feel overwhelming. At Hope Parish Liverpool we are here for you through your grief, whatever shape or form that takes. We can help you think about the kind of funeral service you would like, and whether you would like it at one of our churches or at the crematorium. Sometimes people contact us about their own funeral service, and this something we are happy to discuss with you.
A funeral can be arranged in church for anyone, whether or not they have a Christian faith, there is no requirement for someone to be baptised or attend church. We try to be sensitive to the beliefs of the person who has died and to those who mourn their loss.
There are also times when a death does not always lead to a funeral and this can be especially painful. If you have experienced miscarriage or if your loved one has gone missing or donated their body for medical research, please get in touch so that we can support you. You are not alone.
Sometimes grief can be prolonged and the journey can seem very lonely. Do let us know if you would find it helpful to talk to someone, however long ago your loved one/s died. For a confidential conversation with a member of the clergy or someone on our bereavement support team please contact us.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a key point on our journey of faith when we affirm the ‘yes’ made on our behalf if we were baptised as a baby or a child This service is led by the Bishop and happens in partnership with other churches once or twice a year. It is a time to commit to following Jesus, continuing to learn about our faith within a church community and considering how our faith affects our support of others. If you would like to explore confirmation, we frequently run courses throughout Hope Parish Liverpool, so please contact us.
Anniversaries
Along life’s journey, we pass important milestones that need to be marked. A wedding anniversary, a significant birthday, moving to a new house, the end of treatment or embarking on a new phase of life. Often these are times when we want to give thanks to God or seek God’s blessing.