Do Kerith do Christenings?
People often ask whether Kerith does Christenings or Infant Baptisms, as some other churches do. While we don’t offer Christenings in the traditional sense, we do offer something we believe is deeply biblical, meaningful, and joyful — Thanksgivings.
In the Bible, we see a beautiful moment when Jesus welcomed children with open arms.
In Mark 10:13–16, people were bringing little children to Jesus so that He could bless them. When the disciples tried to stop them, Jesus insisted, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” He then gathered the children in His arms and blessed them.
This passage shows us just how much Jesus loves and values children — and at Kerith, we want to reflect that same heart.
What is a Thanksgiving?
A Thanksgiving is a moment where parents choose to publicly thank God for their child, bringing them to Jesus, and ask for His help as they raise them. It’s a joyful, lively celebration — full of smiles, applause, and the wonderful unpredictability of children being children!
A Thanksgiving is not:
something being done to the child
a moment where a child becomes a Christian
At Kerith, we believe every person — child or adult — gets to make that decision for themselves, whether at age 5, 15, or 50. A Thanksgiving is about praying that one day each child will choose to follow Jesus for themselves.
What happens during a Thanksgiving?
During a Sunday gathering:
The immediate family is welcomed onto the platform and introduced to the wider church family.
We thank God for the gift of each child and the family they belong to.
We pray for the children — asking for God’s blessing, protection, and presence as they grow.
We pray they would know God’s love, become kind and strong, and live lives that bear good fruit.
We pray for parents, carers, and guardians, honouring the vital role they play and asking God to give them wisdom, patience, and love.
A Thanksgiving is also about what we commit to as a church — to support, love, and pray for these families. As Proverbs reminds us: “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” (Proverbs 17:6).
Why do we do this?
A Thanksgiving is a public way for parents to say to God, and to their church family, “We don’t want to do this alone — we need your help.” It’s a moment of gratitude, prayer, and shared commitment.
Throughout the year, we hold Thanksgiving Sundays where families can take part. The next opportunity is Sunday, 15th March 2026, which also falls on Mother’s Day — a brilliant moment to invite friends and family to join the celebration.
If you’ve never publicly given thanks for your child or children, why not sign up and be part of a Thanksgiving at Kerith? You can sign up by heading to our Kerith What’s On page or the Kerith Kids’ page, or by contacting your site’s Kids’ Coordinator.
Contact:
Bracknell Kids’ Coordinator
Farnborough Kids’ Coordinator
Windsor Kids’ Coordinator
IOW Kids’ Coordinator