Life Events

We are here for your LIFE EVENTS and the provision of SACRAMENTS.
Please see the details below, ordered by sections.
For more information on any of these life events, you can contact us.

BAPTISM (also called Christening)

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, sometimes known by the slang term "Christening", is the start of a person's Christian journey. People begin this journey at all different stages of their lives, and we baptise everyone from babies-in-arms to pensioners. In Baptism the candidate becomes part of the Church, which is the Body of Christ with Jesus Christ himself as its Head.

When we baptise babies, or children under the age of 10, it is important to appoint "Godparents" to share in the child's upbringing, and to promise to pray for the child, and support them in their spiritual journey. Godparents make certain solemn promises on behalf of their Godchild - please contact us if you'd like to know more about these promises.

Baptism is free, and we can arrange it with you at any time - there is a simple form to fill in. All Baptisms take place on Sunday mornings, surrounded by the whole people of God.

CONFIRMATION

The Sacrament of Confirmation, is the completion of Christian initiation. This process begins in Baptism (see above), and finishes when the candidate is Confirmed by the Bishop. In Confirmation the Bishop lays his hands on the candidate's head, and prays that the Holy Spirit will guide and direct the candidate as a mature adult Christian man or woman.

Adults are usually Baptised and Confirmed at the same time, unless there are special pastoral reasons for the Baptism and Confirmation to be done on different days.

Children and babies are always Baptised and Confirmed at different times. Their Baptism happens as soon as possible, but their Confirmation has to wait, usually for several years, until they are old enough and mature enough to make their promises for themselves, with their own mouths - until that time, their promises are made for them by their Godparents. The chief duty of Godparents is to bring their Godchild back to church for their Confirmation when they are old enough.

Confirmation can happen at any age, from childhood to old age, as long as the candidate is truly ready for this important step in their faith journey. We do not normally Confirm people under the age of 10 years, unless there are special reasons for doing so.

HOLY MATRIMONY (also called Marriage or a Wedding)

The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony (getting married) is the joyful celebration of two people committing themselves to spend their lives together, forming a new family unit - the building blocks of our society.

In the Christian religion, marriage is a life-long union between a man and a woman, undertaken in the sight of God, following solemn promises made in church. Each marriage is blessed by a priest, and husband and wife exchange rings as lasting symbols of the vows (promises) they have made to each other.

A wedding day is a time of great joy and rejoicing. Whather you want a quiet wedding, with a handful of people, celebrated in one of our intimate side chapels, or a grand celebration with hundreds of people filling our main church nave, we can assist you to plan your perfect day.

We can also arrange other associated ceremonies such as the blessing of a civil marriage, the blessing of a civil partnership, or a blessing and renewal of vows to mark a major anniversary, or following a separation and reconciliation.

RECONCILIATION (also called Confession)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (making a confession) is the mechanism through which Christians feel the assurance of God's forgiveness. It is a cleansing and renewing sacrament, in which the past is consigned to history, and we enjoy a fresh start with God.

In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP), which is the foundational liturgical document of the English Church, this rite of confession is especially associated with physical illness. The BCP states that when a person is ill, he should be visited by a priest who should urge him "to make a special confession of his sins, if he feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter; after which confession, the Priest shall absolve him." Today we have a better understanding that not all sickness is physical, and this rite of confession is available to anyone who feels their conscience troubled, and needs to hear the words of absolution - God's forgiveness.

Reconciliation (confession) is a private liturgy. The individual meets with a priest, who will lead the short service. In the middle, the individual will have an opportunity to say what is weighing on their conscience, and the priest will offer words of advice, before concluding the ceremony by giving absolution (forgiveness of sins) in God's name. Please contact us for more information.

ANOINTING (also called Unction)

The Sacrament of Anointing (sometimes called Unction) is the Church's main rite of healing. It can be performed in church, or in hospital, or even in a private home. In this short service the priest anoints the sick person's forehead, and the palms of their hands, using olive oil. The oil is specially blessed once each year by the Bishop, and is then stored in each church until it is needed.

The Bible calls upon the priests of the Church to visit sick Christians, and to pray for them, anointing them with oil. From Biblical times to the present, the Church has been faithful to this call. In return, God has been faithful in ministering healing and wholeness through this sacrament. Please contact us for more information.

FUNERAL

The Church supports people from the cradle to the grave, and when a loved one has died, we can help you to arrange a Christian funeral service. Many people speak to us during their lifetime, as they like to plan their own funeral in advance - to make sure that their wishes are observed, after they have died.

We can arrange a funeral service for anyone who lives in North Acton, or for anyone who has a connection, present or past, to our church or our community. The service will usually be the standard funeral office of the Church of England, although this is always tailored to the reflect the individual, and his or her wishes. Alternatively, for those who have been active members of their church, we can arrange a requiem mass (funeral mass), which combines the funeral office with Holy Communion.

We can also arrange other associated ceremonies including memorial services, year's mind masses, or the attendance of a priest at a garveside or crematorium.

If someone has died...

We are very sorry if you have come here looking for help after someone close to you has died. We are able to support you through this difficult time, and can assist in planning and executing a funeral service.

You will need to make contact with a funeral director (undertaker) who will make all the practical and legal arrangements. Choosing the right funeral director is like anything else in the modern market place - you must be careful to find the right company, and avoid those of lower quality or poor reputation. We STRONGLY advise you NOT to use one of the national or international chains or groups (whose service is often impersonal and commercial), but to stick to a local independent company. There are many good funeral directors in our area, but also some that we would avoid. We particularly recommend these local independent family-run firms, as efficient, trustworthy, and reliable:

We will be happy to comment further on any local funeral directors if you would like additional assistance in selecting the right company to look after your needs.