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| BAPTISMS At Christ Church, the baptism of infants and children takes place during the Sunday morning service as the children are received into the Church, the Body of Christ. In the baptism service, the parents (with the help and support of the godparents) make a decision to start their child on the journey of Christian faith under God’s care. During the service, the local church welcomes the child and prays for the family. Parents might prefer to celebrate the gift of a child without taking on the commitments that come with baptism. A Thanksgiving Service for the birth of a child is an option. The child is blessed and prayed for, while friends and family promise to support the parents in the upbringing of the child. It can take place during the church service or elsewhere, such as at home or even in the hospital. We realise some families need to come from abroad and that takes planning. The chaplain looks forward to hearing from you and would be happy to talk you about the two services as outlined above. Life is a gift in creation and the church wants to give thanks with you for this gift of new life. The baptism of adult converts typically occurs in conjunction with Confirmation. |
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| CONFIRMATIONS At the confirmation service, the candidates confirm their faith in Jesus Christ by affirming the promises made by their parents and godparents at their baptism. The bishop then signs them with the sign of the cross and blesses them for the next phase of their Christian journey by the laying on of hands. Confirmation classes are arranged around the bishops’ availability. Children older than 13 years and adults are required to attend confirmation classes before receiving communion. |
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| WEDDINGS In Austria, the legal ceremony is separate from the religious one, and therefore the church wedding is a blessing and not an actual legal service. To be married at Christ Church, you need to first contract the legal marriage at a registry office. Please be in touch as early as possible prior to the registry wedding for the sake of preparation, which consists of at least three meetings and a rehearsal. There is also the possibility of having the service in German or a mixture of English and German. There are fees involved with marriage services. Please contact the church office to find out what they are. The Chaplain would be happy to discuss your plans with you. It is also sometimes possible to have an Anglican priest attend a service at another church in Austria to take the service or assist in the marriage service of another denomination. |
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| FUNERALS In Austria, it is the custom to have funerals at the cemetery or the crematorium. You need special permission to have the body in a church building for a funeral. It is possible to have a memorial service in the church building, even if the actual funeral is held elsewhere. If you would like an Anglican priest to officiate at a funeral, please contact the church office as soon as you start with the arrangements so that this can be coordinated, especially the date and time. There are fees involved with funerals. |
