We welcome families from the parish, and those from outside the parish who have a connection with St Mary’s, to have their children baptised, or be baptised themselves, during one of our main Morning Services.

The baptism of children, sometimes called christening, is open to any parent seeking something that could only be described as the very best for their precious child.

For parents and godparents:

·       it’s an opportunity to thank God for his gift of life;

·       it’s a decision to start your child on the journey of faith – asking for the church’s support;

·       it’s making serious promises and declaring your own Christian faith.

There is no fee for a baptism in church.

There’s lots of useful information about planning a baptism/christening at https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/christenings

If you would like to talk about a possible baptism, please contact the Church Office at office@stmaryswatford.org or come to a service on a Sunday morning and ask a Welcomer to be introduced to a Churchwarden as we currently have no Vicar.

You are eligible to be married at St Mary’s if one of you lives in the parish or is on the church electoral roll; you must both be over 18 years of age.  There are also other connections making you eligible to marry here including being baptised in St Mary’s, living in the parish for at least six months, attending worship for at least six months, either parents or grandparents marrying in the church, but please ask.

We welcome enquiries and aim to make your day very special. Your wedding day is one of the most important in your life and as such it deserves the best of preparation not only in the practical details but also in the preparation of yourselves for the public commitment that you are about to make to each other.

We would like to encourage you to use the period before your wedding to reflect upon the things that will form the foundation of your life together. If you are not already part of St Mary’s worshipping community, we would love you to join us on a regular basis for our Sunday services.

We trust that your wedding day will be full of joy, and we will do all that we can as a Church family to see that this is so.

There is a legal fee for a marriage in church, plus additional fees if you wish to have an organist to play music for hymns, etc.

You can find plenty of useful information about legal requirements and planning a wedding service at https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/

If you would like to talk about getting married at St Mary’s, please contact the Church Office at office@stmaryswatford.org or come to a service on a Sunday morning and ask a Welcomer to be introduced to a Churchwarden, as we currently have no Vicar.

BANNS OF MARRIAGE

If you live in the Parish of St Mary’s Watford but are marrying in another Anglican Church anywhere in the country, you will need to have your Banns of Marriage read in St Mary’s prior to your wedding.  You can find out from the website https://www.achurchnearyou.com/ which parish you live in. 

We will need your full names and address(es) plus the date of your wedding and church where you are to be married.  The Banns are read on three consecutive Sundays during the main service, usually in the month prior to your wedding.  You don’t have to be present, but it would be very good if we were able to welcome you on at least one Sunday.

There is a legal fee for the reading of Banns of Marriage.

If you would like to have your Banns read at St Mary’s, please contact the Church Office at office@stmaryswatford.org or come to a service on a Sunday morning and ask a Welcomer to be introduced to a Churchwarden as we currently do not have a Vicar.

Dealing with the death a loved one can be a hard time, with many difficult feelings, and lots of questions and anxieties. Whether or not you (or the person who has died) are regular worshippers, the Church can offer support and help during those difficult days.

A service can be held in the Church and/or at a crematorium/cemetery led by a minister from St Mary’s.  The minister will meet with you, talk you through planning the funeral service, and can help with any questions or concerns.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of a Christian service, the first thing you should do is tell your funeral director/undertaker who will explain what needs to be done.

There is a fee for a service in church or at the crematorium/cemetery.

There is useful information about planning for a funeral at https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals