How to arrange:
Untitled document
What to do if you wish to get married or have a child baptized?
If you are not a member of St Nicholas Church, Weddings and Baptisms are arranged by contacting the Vicar either by telephone or e-mail. Both weddings and baptisms will require
you to see the Vicar more than once in order that certain forms can be filled in, and the Vicar can get to know you if you are not a member of the church. The first visit will usually take about 45 minutes.
Before you are able to marry, BANNS are read in church at three successive Sunday services before the wedding date. Banns inform the congregation that a wedding is to take place and if any one has any reason why it should not take place they are invited to say so. This is a legal requirement.
The reading of Banns can be avoided by applying for a Special License through the Surrogate Registrar for the Deanery, who is the Rev. Sue Davies- Area Dean.
If you are not a regular worshipper, then to get married within St Nicholas Church you must have a link with the parish. This can be through your own or partner’s baptism or confirmation in the parish, or through your parents or grandparents residing in the parish, or being on the electoral role of St Nicholas Church or simply by being a resident in the parish for six months. It is expected that you have a Christian faith.
The current parish boundary covers the following areas: Water: Lumb: most of Whitewell Bottom : the Newchurch side of Burnley Road East from Whitewell Bottom into Waterfoot and both sides of the road from Waterfoot down to the Newchurch side of Rawtenstall Cricket Ground. : The Newchurch side of the road starting from just below Marl Pits and both sides of the road from Marl Pits to New Church, Turnpike and Bridleway.
If you go to a different parish church, then you must, for a wedding, inform the parish priest where you live, of your intentions and bring to the vicar evidence that they are willing for this to happen and a Banns Certificate [currently £12.00] Every one lives within an Anglican Parish. BANNS will be read in your home parish as well as the Parish in which you will marry.
If you wish to get married then you will also need to provide evidence to the vicar that you are who you say you are [not needed if you are a regular member of the church] and are free to marry, particularly if you are divorced. The Vicar is the Official Registrar for the local authority so you do not have to arrange for a Registrar to be present at the wedding as you would in a Chapel.
Baptisms are free even if you don’t come to church, and are usually held within the normal Sunday service. Of course, if baptism is to mean anything then it would be good to use the opportunity to start coming to church again. The congregation really do like to see babies in church [we have at least one midwife in the congregation] and there is a smashing Sunday School as well, should you have older children. God-parents must be baptised, and ideally confirmed, because of the nature of the promises they make on behalf of your baby.
There is a set charge levied by the Church of England for Church weddings [currently £260], and there will be additional charges levied by the church for such things as publication of Banns. Other charges cover the bells, the Organist and flowers—if you want the church to provide them or arrange them, and so on. The Vicar will discuss these matters at your first meeting.
The Vicar delights in weddings and baptisms and hopes for non church members, that the occasion might re-awaken a desire to reconnect with ones faith. Every one is welcome at St Nicholas Church and everyone matters.
