Baptism

Marks the beginning of a journey

Holy Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God, which continues for the rest of our lives. Baptism with water is a symbol of the cleansing from sin that Jesus’ death makes possible, and the new life that God gives us through the Holy Spirit. So baptism is a joyful moment when we celebrate the love God has shown us in Christ. It is also a weighty moment, when we make a public profession of faith and make promises to God and our church family. The local church, family and friends are present, promising to support and pray for the person beingbaptised into the future.

At St Mary’s baptism takes place during the normal Sunday service of Holy Communion to affirm the fact that the person being baptised is welcomed into the life of the Church. The main symbol used is water which is a sign of new life, cleansing and spiritual renewal. The water also reminds us of Jesus’ baptism. A lighted candle is given as a symbol of the light of Christ coming into the world and into our lives to drive away darkness. Every baptized person is called to live a life that reveals the light and love of Christ to others. Holy oil is also used to make the sign of the cross, marking the person as ‘Christ’s own for ever’.

Families not yet ready to make the commitment of Baptism might also consider ‘A Service of Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child‘ which offers prayers of dedication and blessing without promises of Christian commitment.

What is Involved?

The very first step is to come to our Sunday services and come get involved at St Mary’s.  Since Baptism is for believers in Christ, being embedded within a Christian community here at St Mary’s is the essential  first step.  This is also an acknowledgement that the promises made in baptism are serious, and the promises the St Mary’s congregation will make to you likewise are serious, so to fulfill them there needs to be an ongoing relationship.

Once here with us, talk to our priest about your wish for baptism. We can then make a time for follow up about this. There will be some preparation required, usually involving meeting with our priest or another member of the parish at least once (but often more than that). This again is a recognition that the promises we make in baptism are weighty, and so we consider them carefully and prayerfully before undertaking them.

What do I do Next?

Come join us on Sunday!  We look forward to meeting you.

Weddings

Getting Married at St Mary’s

Thank you for choosing St Mary’s Kangaroo Flat as the place to celebrate your marriage. We are an Anglican church and hold to the Christian tradition that sees marriage as a life-long partnership between a man and a woman whose love for one another reflects God’s love for all of us. If you choose to be married at St Mary’s, the ceremony will be taken from A Prayer Book for Australia (APBA). While the service can be personalised with your own prayers, poetry and music, the marriage vows will be from APBA. At St Mary’s we also ask that you include a suitable Bible reading and at least one sacred song or piece of music.

What is the first step?

The first step is to contact us with your enquiry and proposed dates.

Please complete the ‘Wedding Application’ PDF below and return it to the parish either electronically or in the post asap.

Are there any restrictions on the date?

As a rule we don’t have weddings during Lent (the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter) and Advent (the last Sunday in November until Christmas Day). Lent and Advent are both solemn times of reflection and preparation for Easter and Christmas and therefore not really appropriate for a joyful celebration such as a wedding.

What happens at the first meeting?

At the first meeting we fill out a ‘Notice of Intended Marriage’. This has to happen between 6 months and 1 month before the wedding. You will need to bring suitable identification—your birth certificates or overseas passports.

If one or both of you have been married before you will need to bring evidence of: death, nullity or dissolution.

Marriage preparation

You are strongly encouraged to undertake some form of marriage preparation through a recognised provider such as ‘Relationships Australia’ or with the parish priest who will conduct your wedding.

Fees

Church: $350

Celebrant: $250

Flowers: $50-$100 (depending on the selection)

Organist: $50

Catering: From $10 per person options for light refreshments after the service (depending on food choice & in consultation with the church catering team).

Video & Photography

We are happy to work with your choice of photographer/video producer. We simply ask that they try to remain as inconspicuous as possible during the ceremony so as to preserve the reverence and dignity of the occasion.

Rehearsals

There is usually a rehearsal on the evening before the wedding (often a Friday evening). This is an opportunity to ‘walk and talk’ through the ceremony, ask any questions and eliminate any potential problems. We ask that the whole wedding party attend the rehearsal as well anyone else with a role to play.