Thanksgiving Service

Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child

Introduction

The service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child was initiated by the Church of England in 1999. It is a religious ceremony that gives thanks to God but does not commit the child to the Church. As such, it does not preclude full baptism at a later stage in the child’s life.
The ceremony is good for people who believe in God but don’t regularly attend church or for those who are religious themselves but want their child to have a choice later in life.

What is the Thanksgiving Service?
What happens during the service?
Can we have Godparents?
Declarations made
Contacts

What is a Thanksgiving Service?

This service is provided for a number of different occasions:

the private celebration of a birth or adoption, at home or in church with only family and close friends present;
the public celebration of the birth or adoption of a number of children, perhaps in church on a Sunday afternoon;
the public celebration of the birth or adoption of a number of children as part of a main Sunday act of worship.

It is designed to meet the needs of:

parents who see this as a preliminary to Baptism
parents who do not wish their children to be baptized immediately;
others, who do not ask for Baptism, but who recognize that something has happened for which they wish to give thanks to God.

What happens during the service?

The Thanksgiving service normally takes place in local parish church either during the main service or in a private ceremony afterwards. Unlike a christening, it may be also held elsewhere, including in the home.

The structure of the ceremony is as follows:

Thanksgiving and blessing, also the naming of the child
Prayers said for the child and for the parents
Copy of the Gospel presented
Friends and family asked to help and support child and family
then prayers and a blessing

Can we have Godparents?

The term “Godparents” is only used for a baptism. However, you can choose to have “supporting friends” to fulfil the same role in a Thanksgiving service.

Declarations made

Do you receive these children as a gift from God? Parents: We do.
Do you wish to give thanks to God and seek his blessing? Parents: We do.
What name have you given this child? Parent or supporting friend: His/her name is N.
Will you do all that you can to help and support N and N in the bringing up of N? Supporting friends: With the help of God, we will.
Will you do all that you can to help and support this family? Wider family and friends: With the help of God, we will.