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Baptism marks the beginning of a lifelong journey with God. It is the first step in response to God’s love and a joyful moment in which we celebrate what God has done for us in Christ.

During the service, candidates (or parents and godparents, in the case of children) make serious promises and declare the Christian faith. The church family welcomes the newly baptised and commits to pray for and support them. Baptism not only marks a new beginning for the candidate but also reminds all of us of our own baptism and our ongoing growth in Christ.

The Church of England requires that anyone receiving Holy Communion, whether child or adult, must first be baptised Section B | The Church of England

Until 2006, children were not admitted to Communion until after confirmation. In June 2006, General Synod introduced regulations allowing parishes, with proper authorisation, to admit baptised children to Holy Communion before confirmation. These regulations can be found here: Supplementary material | The Church of England

Confirmation is an opportunity for a baptised person to affirm publicly the promises made at their baptism and to receive prayer for strengthening by the Holy Spirit.

 Further guidance can be found here: Confirmation FAQs | The Church of England

At St Peter’s, confirmation is open to those aged 10 and above who have been baptised and are ready to make this public declaration of faith.

The Church of England understands baptism to be the sacrament marking a person is united with Christ in his death and resurrection, forgiven, and welcomed into the body of Christ, His Church.

Holy Communion is the ongoing sacrament of that family — a sign and participation in our continued life in Christ together. For that reason, the Church has historically taught that baptism comes first: we are baptised into Christ and then nourished at his table.

This pattern reflects both Scripture (e.g. Matthew 28:19–20 and Acts 2:38–42) and the consistent practice of the Church throughout history. Requiring baptism before Communion is therefore not about exclusion, but about honouring the biblical order of belonging and believing and recognising baptism as the foundational sign of Christian faith.

If you have not yet been baptised but would like to receive Communion, we would be delighted to talk with you about baptism and what it means to follow Jesus.

All are warmly welcome during the Communion service. Those who are not baptised, or who do not wish to receive the bread and wine, are invited to come forward for a prayer of blessing instead.

This is a meaningful way to receive prayer and to participate in the worship of the church, even if you are not yet receiving Communion itself.

Parents of children aged 0–9 should contact admin@stpetersfarnborough.org.uk. A member of the team will then be in touch to guide you through the next steps.

The young person, together with a parent or guardian, should contact a member of the Rising Generations Team in the first instance. The team will arrange a conversation to explore readiness and next steps.

Preparation for receiving Communion at St Peter’s will normally be offered from the age of 10 onwards. This reflects our desire to ensure that children are able to show a meaningful understanding of Holy Communion and make a personal, public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, in line with Church of England guidance on confirmation age. While we recognise that some younger children show genuine faith, setting a clear age threshold provides clarity and consistency for the whole church family. Parents are welcome to speak with a member of the Clergy Team if they would like further conversation.

No. As this is not a rite of passage, preparation will only take place at the request of the young person, with parental support. Preparation will occur separately from regular Sunday children’s and youth groups.

The young person, together with a parent or guardian, should contact either the Rising Generations Team or a member of the Clergy Team. A conversation will then be arranged to explore the appropriate next step.

We long to welcome all who wish to follow Jesus into a life with him. Receiving Communion is not only a personal act but also a public act of worship and participation in the life of Christ and his Church.

 For that reason, we believe it is appropriate that those receiving Communion make a public declaration of faith — whether at baptism, during a service following preparation for Communion, or at confirmation. This reflects both the joy and the seriousness of following Christ.

We recognise and respect the primary role of parents in the spiritual formation of their children. If you would prefer your child to wait for confirmation, that will be taken seriously.

Any decision regarding preparation for Communion or confirmation will be discerned through conversation between the young person, their parent or guardian, and the incumbent. In almost all cases, this will proceed with clear parental understanding and agreement.

The decision is made through careful and prayerful conversation between the young person, their parent or guardian, and the incumbent. Parents carry primary responsibility for the spiritual nurture of their child, and their understanding and agreement will normally be required. Together, we seek to discern whether the young person is ready to take this step with genuine faith and appropriate understanding.

In short, yes.

 As this affects only a small number of people, we will offer a tailored and shortened preparation process covering the essential teaching on Communion. We are grateful for your willingness to walk through this in a spirit of humility and unity for the good of the whole church.

Yes, we would strongly encourage this.

 For both young people (10–17) and adults (18+), confirmation is an important opportunity to affirm faith publicly, receive prayer for strengthening by the Holy Spirit, and celebrate what God is doing in your life as a disciple of Jesus.

Yes. The Church of England provides a service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child for families who would prefer this.

 You can find more information here: Thanksgiving services | The Church of England