Weddings, baptisms and funerals
WEDDINGS AT ALL SAINTS, CAWOOD
We would love to welcome you to celebrate your wedding together at All Saints, where couples have been coming to be married since the 12th century. This information will hopefully answer some of your questions about who can be married here, the choices you have about the contents of the service and how much it costs.
Can we get married here?
As with any Parish Church in England, anyone who lives in the parish of All Saints, Cawood automatically qualifies to be married here. If you are not sure whether you live within the parish area, you can either contact us or visit the website www.achurchnearyou.com to check.
In addition, you are also eligible if one of you…
- has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least six months or
- was baptised (‘christened’) at All Saints or
- was confirmed at All Saints or
- has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in All Saints for a period of at least six months
OR if one of your parents, at any time after you were born…
- has lived in the parish for a period of at least six months or
- has regularly gone to normal church services in All Saints for a period of at least six months
OR if one of your parents or grandparents was married at All Saints.
If none of the above applies to you or your partner, then you can attend services of worship here regularly (i.e. at least once a month) for a period of six months or more. Times and days when services take place are advertised on our website or ask us for more information.
NB. Under current regulations affecting the Church of England, we are not able to conduct same-sex marriages at All Saints.
Is it a problem if one of us is divorced or if one of us is a foreign national?
No – not as a rule, however if either of these applies to you then you will need to contact the Area Dean, John Weetman to discuss this first to make sure that your circumstances wouldn’t prevent you being married within the Church of England.
What choices do we have for the service?
The words of the service are fixed (although you can choose between the traditional or more modern language options). Any additional readings or poems, all the music and whether you want the choir, the bells or any extra flowers are all up to you.
The service can be captured on video if you wish and the photographer can take photos throughout (as long as they are discreet action shots during the service itself, with specially posed photos done before and after).
Do we have to get married on a Saturday?
No – it can be any day of the week (including Sundays) as long as the time slot is free. It does have to be between 8.00am and 6.00pm however, as legally we can’t do evening weddings.
How much will it all cost?
The current cost in 2022 is £587
(there is likely to be a slight annual increase for future years)
Optional extras are as follows:
Organist: a minimum of £70, depending on the individual organist
Bells: The tower houses three bells which can be rung by one of the church volunteers at the end of the service if you would wish (at no extra charge).
If we have been married elsewhere, could we have a ‘Blessing’ at All Saints?
Yes, whether just been married or celebrating an anniversary from some years before.
As a service of ‘Blessing’ isn’t governed by Marriage Law, you would not have to ‘qualify’ by living here or by one of the other categories above. Please contact us for the level of fee or donation that would apply in your situation.
Further Information
If you have any further queries, or would like to book a date for your service, please contact the Area Dean, Canon John Weetman 01757 703123 office@selbyabbey.org.uk
or either of the Churchwardens:
Linda Barker Grimshaw 01757 268047
Peter Taylor 01757 242801
BAPTISMS AT ALL SAINTS, CAWOOD
Thank you for enquiring about having your child baptised/christened. The birth of a baby is a very special time for the family involved and their relatives and friends. Young children are a reminder to us all of the amazing gift of life, of the importance of love and relationship, and also of human vulnerability. God is the giver of all life, the source of love, and the Father who longs for us to recognise our dependence on him.
St Mark writes in his gospel: “People brought children to Jesus to be blessed by him, But his friends the disciples tried to stop them bothering him. When Jesus saw this he was cross with the disciples and said to them, Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it. And he put his arms around them, laid his hand upon them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-16)
By wanting to bring your child to be blessed by God, you are following a tradition that began more than two thousand years ago, following in the footsteps of those who brought their children to Jesus. It is therefore entirely appropriate that you should want to bring your child into the church to thank God for him/her, to pray for God’s blessing on them, and to celebrate with friends and family God’s wonderful gift in your lives. This leaflet explains some of the things you need to consider if you would like to bring your child for baptism/christening.
A Service of Baptism
Baptism is the way in which people become part of the church and requires the individual to declare their own Christian faith and promise to continue to follow God for the whole of their life. Young children who are unable to declare their own faith are baptised on the understanding that they will be brought up to live the Christian faith through the example of their parents and godparents. For this reason, as part of the service, parents and godparents are required to make a declaration of their own Christian beliefs (see below).
During the service, the family gather round the font and the priest pours water on the child’s head as a sign of being washed free from sin and beginning a new life in Christ. The child is also ‘marked’ with a sign of a cross, as a symbol of belonging to Christ, and is given a lighted candle representing the light of Christ to guide them on their journey of faith. As part of the service, we pray for the child and their family.
Declaration of Faith for Parents and Godparents
(made by parents and godparents during the Baptism service)
Parents and godparents, the Church receives this child with joy. Today we are trusting God for their growth in faith. Will you pray for them, draw them by your example into the community of faith and walk with them in the way of Christ? With the help of God, we will.
In baptism this child begins their journey of faith. You speak for them today. Will you care for them, and help them to take their place within the life and worship of Christ’s Church? With the help of God, we will.
In baptism God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light. To follow Christ means becoming dead to sin and rising to new life with him. Therefore I ask:
Do you turn to Christ? I turn to Christ.
Do you repent of your sins? I repent of my sins.
Do you renounce evil? I renounce evil.
If you are unsure about making the declaration of faith you should contact the Area Dean, John Weetman to discuss your concerns. This will give you the opportunity to talk further about the meaning of baptism before the service or to consider choosing to postpone the baptism or have a service of thanksgiving (see below) which can be followed by baptism at a later date if you wish. Enquiring about baptism for a child can be an opportunity for parents to consider the relevance of God in their own lives, if you would like to discuss this, please contact the clergy.
A Service of Thanksgiving
One of the most important things that many parents want to do is to thank God for their child, to present the child to God before gathered friends and relatives and to announce their name. This is the core of the service of thanksgiving at which the minister takes the child into their arms and prays for God’s blessing on them. A copy of a Gospel is presented as a reminder of the Good News of God’s love shown to us in Jesus Christ and also a lighted candle as a sign of God’s blessing. This service does not require the parents to make any declaration of their own Christian faith. Nor are godparents required however you may decide to have some people to take part as ‘guardians’ or sponsors for your child instead.
What to do next….
You will need to agree and date and time for the service (which can be held within one of our regular Sunday morning services or separately later in the day) will the Area Dean/Churchwarden and then fill in a Baptism/ Thanksgiving Application Form and return it to us (if you haven’t already). This will include details of the Godparents or Guardians/Sponsors you have chosen (see below).
The Area Dean or another member of the clergy will contact you to arrange to meet with you before the service.
The purpose of the meeting is to:
- learn more about baptism and the Christian faith
- prepare by going through the baptism or thanksgiving service
- answer any questions that you may have
We also recommend that you join us for one of our Sunday morning services at All Saints (9.30am on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month) which will give you an experience of worshipping with the church family that your child will become part of when they are baptised.
Choosing Godparents
Godparents are chosen as people who will pray for your child and help him/her, by their words and example, to follow Jesus Christ. They must have been baptised themselves and it is preferable (although not essential) that they have been confirmed. Confirmation is a special service at which older children and adults confirm the promises that were made on their behalf when they were baptised, thus becoming adult members of the church. Godparents have to make the same promises as parents and you need to make sure that they are happy to do this.
You should choose three (or more) Godparents, two of the same sex as your child and one of the opposite sex. If you have any questions about the applicability of an individual as a godparent, please contact the vicar.
There are no such requirements concerning their own baptism/ confirmation or faith of those who may be chosen as guardians/ sponsors for a Thanksgiving Service.
Any further questions, please contact the Area Dean, Canon John Weetman 01757 703123 office@selbyabbey.org.uk
or either of the Churchwardens:
Linda Barker Grimshaw 01757 268047
Peter Taylor 01757 242801
FUNERALS AT ALL SAINTS, CAWOOD
Please contact the Area Dean, Canon John Weetman 01757 703123 office@selbyabbey.org.uk
or either of the Churchwardens:
Linda Barker Grimshaw 01757 268047
Peter Taylor 01757 242801