The Parish Church of St. Matthew, Highfield, Wigan

Your child’s Holy Baptism

A guide for parents and godparents

We are glad that you are hoping to have your child baptised at St Matthew’s and are very much looking forward to welcoming you to the service. We hope it will mark a very important day for your child and family.

To make arrangements for baptism you should come to the Vicarage, next door to the church, on any Tuesday evening between 6.30-7.30pm. Here we will book a date, depending upon availability, for the first or third Sunday of the month. We will also complete an Application Form for which you will need to bring the following information about the godparents you have chosen:

• Full name and title.
• Full address.
• Have they been baptised themselves?
• Have they been confirmed themselves? (At least one of them should have been confirmed.)

So that you can print it out easily, the Application Form is in PDF format for which you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free download) - this is usually already installed on most computers.

Answers to frequently asked questions:

• There is no charge for a service of baptism but if you require a full certificate there is a fee of £9. Cheques should be made payable to ‘St Matthew’s PCC’.
• We are happy for photographs and video recording to happen in church but we ask that this does not happen during the service. We will arrange poses around the font afterwards.
• If you are very keen to have the service video recorded, perhaps for the benefit of a relative who is unable to attend for example, then it is possible. However, this will require the person making the recording to sign a Disclaimer Agreement and the payment of a £25 fee. Please ask for a form at the Vicarage.
• Traditionally children have three godparents chosen for them - two of the same gender as the child. However, this is not inflexible and it is possible to have up to a maximum of four godparents of either sex. They must, however, all be at least 16 years old. Parents can be godparents for their own children.

If you have any queries or worries please do not hesitate to contact the Vicar on 01942 222121. We want your day to be a happy celebration in your child’s life and a powerful reminder to you of God’s love and welcome to all people so we will do everything we can to make the occasion go well.

“And so God gives us the way to a second birth, a new creation and life in union with him. Baptism is the sign and seal of this new birth.”
from the Baptism Service

Keeping in touch

• Baptism represents a welcome into the Family of the Church and we look forward to getting to know you all better.
• Our normal Sunday services are at 9am, 10.30am and 6.30pm, the main service being 10.30am Holy Communion. On the second Sunday in the month at 10.30am we have a Family Parade Service for all ages. If you are new to church or are returning after a long absence then this may be a good service to begin with.
• We have a Sunday School which begins at 12noon. We are happy to welcome children aged between 4yrs and upwards. Infants meet in Highfield St Matthew School (contact Mrs J Hodgson 213198) and Juniors meet in the Parochial Hall (contact Miss M Moore).
• There is also a Youth Brunch following the monthly Parade Service (contact Mr C Hesketh 620979).
• Each year quite a number of adults and children are confirmed at St Matthew’s. That is, they confirm that they have made their own the Christian belief expressed on their behalf at their baptism as young children. If you have not been confirmed you might like to consider this step for yourself.

If you have any further questions please contact the Vicar, the Revd Bob Pearson on Tel 01942 222121, Fax 01942 211332 or email:

Page last modified: 21 February 2004