The ceremony

Christening/Baptism
Parents who feel a strong connection to the church and religious tradition will most likely wish to introduce their child into their faith by having them baptised. Christening (or Baptism, as is the term used by most churches), is the way in which a child becomes a part of the Christian community. It involves pouring holy water onto the child in the name of the Holy Trinity (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to cleanse the child of sin and identify him or her with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Where to have your child baptised
Most parents choose to have their child baptised in their local parish or church where they regularly worship or feel a sense of belonging. However, if you are not members of a particular church you will need to find one that is willing to baptise your child. A good place to begin your search is in the Yellow Pages, which lists places of worship by category such as Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Church. It's extremely important to feel comfortable with your choice of parish for your child's Baptism, and to ensure that your choice is compatible with your hopes and wishes for your child's spiritual experience and growth while young, and with your own beliefs. It helps, too, if you feel a personal rapport with the minister or priest who will actually be conducting the ceremony.

Preparing for Baptism
As Baptism is essentially about introducing your child to Christianity, most churches will ask you to attend one or more information and preparation sessions before the Baptism. At these sessions, your minister or priest will explain the sacrament to you, go over the format of the ceremony itself and give you guidelines on choosing godparents.

Most parishes specify a certain day each month on which Baptisms are held, such as the second Sunday of the month, and there will usually be several families sharing in the one Baptismal celebration. If you feel very strongly about having a private celebration, discuss this with your church to see if they can accommodate your wishes.

Baby Naming ceremonies
A Baby Naming is a lovely alternative for those who do not want or cannot have a religious ceremony, for whatever reason. Interfaith couples, agnostics, atheists or those who simply do not have a connection to a particular church or wish their child to choose their own denomination when they are older, all find meaning in a Baby Naming ceremony. It's a wonderful way to welcome your child and share your joy with family and friends. As there are no legal or religious requirements, there is an enormous amount of flexibility with a Baby Naming ceremony. Some take the form of a non-denominational Christening with the sprinkling of holy water and an emphasis on introducing the child to the Christian faith. Others have no religious context whatsoever and are designed to announce and give thanks for the safe arrival of the child and welcome him or her into a loving circle of family and friends.

This article continues in Party Magazine.