Page 16 - link magazine

THE CHURCH
16

FRESHBROOK THE BAPTISM AND THE CHURCH IN
GAMES BREAKFAST CLUB WEST SWINDON
by Tony Price
Sat. Sep. 5th 2 - 5 p Westlea and Shaw churches are You don't have to be a statistical important and true to say to us.
AT THE SCHOOL FIELD organising holiday adventure genius to work out that there's What we try and do, then, is to
FOR ALL THE FAMILY clubs for five to seven year olds something of a Baby Boom going make sure that everyone who is
COMPETITIONS - A RUN and 8 to 11 years. Activities will on in West Swindon at the thinking about baptism for them-
REFRESHMENTS include games, quizzes, films, moment: in fact, some people selves or their children really
PRIZES GIVEN AT 4.30 pm videos and Bible stories. have said our birth rate is about knows what it is all about. In par-
Run commences at 200pm for Come on kids, Breakout at two and a half times the national ticular, in the case of parents
those over 14 who have registered Upper Shaw Community Centre average. And there are still a lot bringing their children for
in advance. from 17th to 20th August, 10.30 of parents who think about hav- baptism, it means promising to
For further information ring: am - 12 noon. More details on ing their new arrivals baptised. bring up their child in the
SWINDON 694157, 695012 or 693146 770568 or 870261. So how do you go about it?
Christian faith, within the life of
Organised by Freshbrook Evangelical Church
Anyone who has tried to make the Church, because an essential
TRIP TO ACCRA - GHANA contact with the Ecumenical part of being a Christian is
Church in West Swindon will belonging to the Church and
Liz Hepburn writes have discovered that it is rather taking your place within its life
"I have been invited to join a "During the crusade week Pam an unusual organisation. Five and worship. If you don't mean
team of four, to take part in an and I will be leading seminars congregations, representing (at to keep a promise like that, we
evangelistic crusade in Accra from each morning on 'suffering and least) five different denomina- think it would be better not to
26th July to 2nd August. The team temptation', with the women and tions or church traditions, meet- make it.

includes Julius Creaiy (Jamaican), teenagers. We will also be work- ing to worship in four different But many people still want
Rosa Mills (Ghanaian), Pam ing with the children each day. church buildings and a community some sort of church service to
O'Keefe (from Bicester, England) Hopefully we can spend each centre. . . how ever can so many mark the arrival of their new
and myself. We will be working afternoon sleeping, ready for the Christians get on with each other? baby . . . and we agree that
with different denominations e.g. main event in the evenings. On This is one of the most exciting this is a very important thing. We
Methodist (we are travelling out the Sundays before the crusade things about what we're doing; invite all parents enquiring about
under their name), Anglican, we will be preaching and leading and the answer to the question is: Baptism for their children to
Baptist and Pentecostal. worship in various churches, By respecting, and learning from, church for a Service of Thanks-
"Pam and I are going on where we hope to learn many what all the others do and believe. giving for the Birth of Children,
Monday 13th to help in the new songs. Baptism is one of the cases in when we can pray for your baby
preparations for the crusade, to "This is a first for me, an ex- point. Some of us come from a by name and ask God to bless
acclimatize - the temperature is citing opportunity to see what Baptist Church background, and him or her at the start of life. We
about 30°C (89°F) and the Jesus is doing in the lives of our we believe that only people who find the Thanksgiving service is
humidity is about 70%, to learn brothers and sisters in Africa, can say for themselves "I believe very appropriate for parents who
more about the Ghanaian people and a chance to share the Good in Jesus Christ as my Lord and don't feel happy about making
- their culture, their customs News of Jesus, as well as sharing Saviour" can be baptised. This the bigger promises of the Baptism
etc., to share and work with the what Jesus is doing in West means, of course, that you could Service; and it doesn't mean you
different denominations leading Swindon." never baptise or 'christen' babies, can't come back and make those
up to the crusade. because how could they have a promises at some future date.

faith of their own? Becoming a parent is a great
Soft Water Centre tions (like the Church of England, want to help you to celebrate
Others of us come from tradi- moment in anyone's life, and we
Methodists and others) which your child in the way that is best
Largest display of water softeners on view in this area!
believe that it is right to baptise for your family. If you want to
Including PERMUTIT - DOMEXTRA -
SEREIN - PERMO - SOFTSTREAM the infant children of believing hear more about Baptism in the
Sales and Service parents, because it is the parents' Church in West Swindon, we will
faith which claims God's promise be happy to come and talk to you
For Free Site Survey Telephone or Write to for their child.
and maybe explain what this
MALCOLM TOOGOOD - SWINDON So how can Christians with article says at greater length.
853156 (anytime) these contradictory views work 0*0

UNIT, 4 OAKLANDS ENTERPRISES, BRAYDON, together? The way we do it is by To contact the churches in
Nr. WOOTTON BASSETT, SWINDON. SN5 OAN. recognising that both these views West Swindon, turn to the refer-
of
Baptism have something ence page for telephone numbers.
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