Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals

At Christ Church, we are here to serve you in significant life events - sometimes in times of joy such as a wedding, or the arrival of a child - and sometimes in times of sadness, such as a funeral.

Whatever the occasion, we are here to help you by offering you something meaningful and personal to

you and your family that helps ‘connect the dots’ between our lives and the love of God.

Baptism and thanksgivings

Congratulations! The birth or adoption of a child is a cause for celebration.

Christ Church is committed to nurturing and growing the Christian faith in people of all ages. We provide a range of opportunities for children and their parents to grow; we have regular family services and a thriving Junior Church.

There are two kinds of service that we offer for parents who would like to celebrate the arrival of a child and ask for God’s blessing on them. Please read carefully to see which path might be best for you and your family.

Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into membership of the Church which Jesus asked of those who follow him. Baptism can be for people of any age, children or adults. 

The Baptism service involves parents making significant declarations about their own faith in Jesus, and their commitment to membership in the local church community. For this reason, our baptism services are always a part of our main Sunday morning service at 10.30 am.

If you would like your child to be baptized at Christ Church, you will need to attend regularly for a few weeks before making an inquiry. We ask parents to be involved in preparation sessions to explore the kind of promises they’ll be making.

Please contact the Vicar Rev Phil Brooks if you would like to make arrangements for your child to be baptized.

Thanksgiving is very similar to a baptism. It is a chance for parents and families to give thanks for the birth or adoption of a child and to pray for family life.

We would be delighted to discuss a special celebration of your new child at a ‘Thanksgiving’ service, which includes naming your child, praying for God’s blessing on him/her, and asking for wisdom and strength for the parents.

This celebration is usually a separate service bespoke for you and your family- and usually takes place on a Sunday afternoon. Preparation for this event is usually light, and can usually be arranged with a few weeks’ notice.

Please contact the Vicar Rev Phil Brooks if you would like to make arrangements for your special Thanksgiving service.

Adult Baptism and Confirmation

Baptism is not just for babies- it is for people of all ages. If you are interested in exploring the Christian faith further or making a public statement of your faith through being baptized or confirmed then please contact Rev Phil Brooks on 020 8642 2757 or email vicar@suttonteamministry.org.uk

Weddings

Congratulations! Christ Church is a beautiful church to be married and we would be extremely pleased to be a part of your special day. 

Why get married in a Church?

You can get married pretty much anywhere these days, from the local registry office to a beach in the Bahamas. However many will feel that there is something about a church that makes it a special place to get married in; and more importantly, there is no better starting point for married life than to be make your promises to one another before God- the one who keeps his promises to us.

There are all sorts of reasons for getting married in Church. We would love to talk with you about them.

Why get married at Christ Church?

We love marrying people at Christ Church. The building itself is astonishingly beautiful. We do everything that we can to make this your special day. While it’s a great occasion of joy, it’s also something to be taken seriously, and most couples work with us on marriage preparation- not just for the wedding but the years of marriage that lie ahead.

Who can be married here?

To be married in a particular church, you must establish something called a ‘qualifying connection’- a reason why this particular place is right for you to be married in. This could be because you live in the parish, or you were baptised at this church, or for various other reasons. If you don’t have a particular legal reason to be married at Christ Church, it is possible for you to build a ‘qualifying connection’ through regular attendance. Please contact Rev. Phil for more information.

Our wedding - James and Helen Doughty - June 2017

Christ Church was the perfect venue for our wedding, matched by the warm welcome offered by Phil and his team. Phil couldn’t have been more accommodating, helping us with our plans from setting the date to talking through any concerns that we may have had. Our families really appreciated meeting up for rehearsal the day before, so that everyone knew where they needed to be on the big day. Both during and after the service everyone was made to feel extremely relaxed, from the welcoming address right through to the tea and cakes after the ceremony before we departed to the reception.

Thank you Christ Church for our memorable day.

Marriage Blessings and Renewal of Vows

There are various reasons why a married couple may want to hold a marriage blessing or renewal of vows. Perhaps you have been married for a number of years and want to give thanks for your relationship or maybe you’ve reached a milestone or been through some significant times together. Whatever the reason, it may be that a service like this is right for you.

To find out more about a wedding or blessing at church, contact Rev Phil Brooks on 020 8642 2757 or email vicar@suttonteamministry.org.uk

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

There are lots of reasons why people might want to have a church-led funeral for their loved ones. If you live in the Parish or have a particular connection to the church, please do ask the funeral directors to contact Vicar Revd Phil Brooks while you are arranging the funeral. The usual pattern is that Phil will then make contact with you to arrange details of the service.

For memorial services, interment of ashes, or related queries, please contact Rev Phil Brooks on 020 8642 2757 or email vicar@suttonteamministry.org.uk

Please note that we cannot inter ashes on the church grounds.