Weddings
So, you want to get married, that's great! We are very pleased for you and wish you much happiness as you take that step and we pray for God's blessings on your future.
Marriage is a big step and a lifelong commitment. It is, as the wedding ceremony says, not to be entered into lightly. It is a time of great joy and anticipation and there is a lot of preparation that has to take place before the big day.
If you want to get married in Clackmannan Church, or be married by the minister in another location, you should first make an appointment for you both to speak to the minister. Do this as soon as possible. The minister will fix a date with you and keep you right on all the formalities of such a service, including the legalities and costs, and the arrangements for a wedding rehearsal. The minister will also advise you how to arrange the music for the service with the church organist.
You may find it helpful to download and complete the Marriage Form below before coming along to your first appointment.
Baptisms
Baptism is one of two Sacraments celebrated in the Church of Scotland, the other being Communion, or ‘The Lord’s Supper’.
The Church of Scotland practises two types of baptism. The most common is Infant Baptism, which is administered to babies or small children, the other is Adult or Believer’s Baptism, which is administered to those who can take vows for themselves and who want to profess their own individual faith in Christ. This is usually done before a person ‘joins’ the church, if they haven’t already been baptised.
Because baptism is a sacrament of the church it is usually reserved to those who are already members of a congregation, or who are adherents expressing an interest in becoming members. The Service of Baptism requires parents, or in certain cases, where neither of the parents are members, a close family member who is a member of the congregation, to take vows professing their own faith, and promising to bring a child up in the ‘love and discipline of the Lord’ and in ‘the ways of the Church of God’.
The baptism will usually take place during a normal Sunday morning service with the congregation present. This is important because the congregation also takes a vow to support the family in this task, and with that there is an expectation that the parents, or other family member, will make a commitment to regular attendance at church, allowing their children and themselves to take full advantage of the opportunities for growth in the Christian faith, which are provided through teaching in church and in Sunday school, and in fellowship.
In order to more fully explore what baptism means for a family and for a child, the minister often runs a short enquirers' class looking at the background to and the implications of baptism as well as what the Christian faith is about.
If you are interested in having your child baptised, or would like to know more, please contact the minister who will be glad to make arrangements to meet with you and discuss the implications.
A note about Godparents
In the Church of Scotland there is no requirement for godparents at a Service of Baptism. Traditionally families do have godparents for their child, and that is fine.
It has been our practice in Clackmannan recently that, if desired, parents can request that godparents affirm their own faith and make a vow to support the family in assuring their child’s growth in Christian faith. Should this be something you would consider please let the minister know and appropriate arrangements can be made.
Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving
Sometimes a family will find the implications of baptism or its requirements difficult to keep. In that case the minister will happily offer a Service of Dedication which, in the main, gives thanks for the arrival of the new-born and simply asks the parents to make a vow to love their child and bring them up to the best of their abilities. Should you wish to take up that option please make that clear to the minister.
Funerals
The death of someone close is a difficult experience to bear, particularly in the early days when there is so much to be organised and dealt with. If you are going through the sad event of a bereavement, you may be responsible for arranging the funeral of your loved one. In the first instance you should contact one of the local undertakers who will, as a matter of course, discuss with you the arrangements for the funeral service, including who you might want to conduct the service for you. Today there are several options available, some of which incur charges for their services.
The minister is available to conduct the funeral service for all residents in the parish, whether you are a church member or not. The minister's services to you will be free. However, should you want to use the church please note that there is usually a charge for this and local undertakers can advise you of this on request.
There is nothing to stop you contacting the minister first, if you want. Between the minister, undertakers, and yourself, a date and time for the funeral will be arranged, and the minister will call, among other things, to discuss the arrangements you want to make for the service(s).
Long term support can also be provided by the Pastoral Care Team. Further information can be obtained from the minister.