Parish Office: 02 6452 1544

St Paul's Anglican Church Cooma
St Paul's Anglican Church Cooma

Parish Office: 02 6452 1544

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Life Events

For over 180 years, the Anglican Church has been here to support residents of Cooma and the surrounding area to celebrate and negotiate significant life events. Be it celebrating the birth of a new child, the joy of two people coming together in marriage, or the farewell of loved family member, we are here to help you.

Baptisms, Christenings and Thanksgiving Services

Has your family been blessed with the arrival of a new child?

Has a new child been added to your family recently? What wonderful news! ( ... and yet a little scary at the same time). It's both an awesome privilege and a great responsibility that God has given you.

Can we help you mark this very special event?


One of our ministers would be glad to meet with you to work out the best way for you to celebrate. We want to help you celebrate the gift of your precious little one in a way that's truly right and meaningful for you.


Getting Started

Read this page carefully and discuss it. Try to be as realistic, fair and honest as you can.

Then complete the online form, phone (02) 6452 1544 or email us when you're ready to ask questions or plan your celebration.

Thanksgiving or Baptism?


What kind of ceremony will be right and best?

Nowadays, we provide two alternative ways for publicly marking a child's birth in God's name.


What's Similar?

Both services are a type of 'christening', in the sense that they both involve formally naming the child in the presence of God. In each case, the ceremony will be recorded in the registers of the church, with the names and contact details of the parents and child. So a relationship is established and remembered.


What's Different?

A Thanksgiving service enables parents to thank God for the birth of their child, with no obligation either on them or the church members.


Baptism, on the other hand, is a sign of membership in God's church, expressed locally:

  • It is a ceremony which symbolises Jesus' death and our death, and therefore carries with it various responsibilities
  • Baptism is a sign of discipleship which, for Jesus' followers, involves a complete change of lifestyle, including a commitment to meet together with God's people week by week.


Looking to the Future...

There's no fork in the road. That is, choosing either of the two ceremonies now doesn't in any way preclude taking up the other later on. Some families have chosen a Thanksgiving service as more appropriate initially, but have then taken the opportunity to explore the spiritual commitment involved in Baptism.  Later they have had their child baptised.


Still interested?

One of our ministers will meet with you, so that you can explore options, ask any questions and decide on the ceremony together. For a baptism, the minister will also arrange for preparation. The application form below gives us some basics about who you are, and where and when you want the ceremony. After we receive your form, we will get in touch to arrange an appointment.

Weddings

A joyous celebration

For hundreds of years couples have publically declared their commitment to each other in front of friends, family, and God by getting married in church. Indeed, as Christians we believe that there is a higher dignity and power to marriage than love alone. As the German pastor Friedrich Bonhoffer wrote, "It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on the marriage that sustains your love". Marriage connects individuals not just to each other, but to a larger purpose and responsibility within God's plan.


The Anglican Parish of Cooma actively supports those who would like to get married in a Christian ceremony. Couples hoping to get married at one of the seven churches within the Parish are encouraged to reach out to the Rector early in the planning process to discuss dates, availability and the format of the service. 

Funerals

Committing the departed into God's care

The bible tells us that from dust we came and to dust we shall return. The passing of a loved one can be a difficult time, yet as Christians we believe that, through God's grace, those of faith will be granted eternal salvation. Funerals can be conducted at all of our churches. Please contact the Rector for more details.

Pastoral Care

For help coping with life's challenges

There are times when we can all feel alone. However, God's love for us is unshakable and He has promised that He will be a very present hope when we are in trouble. If you are in need of someone to talk to or to provide spiritual guidance during tough times, please contact the Rector or send an email to the Pastoral Care team at office@coomaanglican.org.au 


You can also fill out a prayer request card at the back of St Paul's, Cooma, to be included in Parish prayers.

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