Ian's Baptism & Confirmation Guide
Winchester Cathedral · Saturday 23rd May 2026 · 5.30 pm
🔇 Phones on silent please!
COLOUR KEY
⭐ IAN'S PERSONAL JOURNEY TODAY
The Gathering
Setting: Missa Brevis — Lennox Berkeley (1903–89)
The Processional Hymn
Come down, O Love divine, seek thou this soul of mine, and visit it with thine own ardour glowing; O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming; and let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight, and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity mine outward vesture be, and lowliness become mine inner clothing; true lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part, and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long, shall far outpass the power of human telling; for none can guess its grace, till he become the place wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
Words: Bianco da Siena (d 1434) tr. Littledale — Tune: Down Ampney, Vaughan Williams
The Welcome — Bishop Rhiannon King, Bishop of Southampton
Bishop: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Bishop: There is one body and one spirit. There is one hope to which we were called; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all.
Bishop: Peace be with you
and also with you.
The Prayers of Penitence
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, to be our advocate in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God's commandments and to live in love and peace with all.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
The Absolution
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit you give to your faithful people new life in the water of baptism. Guide and strengthen us by that same Spirit, that we who are born again may serve you in faith and love, and grow into the full stature of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
The Reading — Galatians 5:22–25
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Acclamation
The Choir sings the Alleluia — the congregation repeat the refrain. The Choir sings: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people and kindle in them the fire of your love." Congregation repeat the refrain.
The Gospel Reading — John 15:9–17
Bishop: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love… You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last… I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Bishop: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
All repeat the Alleluia refrain.
The Sermon
Preached by The Right Reverend Rhiannon King, Bishop of Southampton.
The Liturgy of Initiation
The Presentation
Bishop: Do you wish to be baptised?
I do.
⛔ Bishop now turns to the other candidates (already baptised, here for confirmation only). This is NOT Ian. Stay silent.
Bishop: Have you been baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?
Other candidates only: I have.
(Ian stays silent — this is not your question)
✅ Now Bishop asks ALL candidates including Ian:
Bishop: Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heart to affirm your faith in Jesus Christ?
I am.
Bishop addresses the congregation: Faith is the gift of God to his people. In baptism the Lord is adding to our number those whom he is calling. People of God, will you welcome these candidates and uphold them in their life in Christ?
With the help of God, we will.
The Decision
In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light. To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him. Therefore I ask:
Bishop: Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?
I reject them.
Bishop: Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?
I renounce them.
Bishop: Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?
I repent of them.
Bishop: Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?
I turn to Christ.
Bishop: Do you submit to Christ as Lord?
I submit to Christ.
Bishop: Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?
I come to Christ.
Signing with the Cross
Bishop: Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of his cross. Do not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified. Fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil, and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life. May almighty God deliver you from the powers of darkness, restore in you the image of his glory, and lead you in the light and obedience of Christ.
Amen.
The Prayer over the Water
Bishop: Praise God who made heaven and earth,
who keeps his promise for ever.
Bishop: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Bishop Rhiannon prays over the water: Father we give you thanks and praise for your gift of water in creation… For all might, majesty and dominion are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
The Profession of Faith
Bishop Rhiannon says: Let us affirm together with these candidates our common faith in Jesus Christ.
Bishop: Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Bishop: Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Bishop: Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Baptism ⭐
Bishop: Ian, I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Bishop: May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church, pour upon you the riches of his grace, that within the company of Christ's pilgrim people you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit, and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory.
Amen.
Bishop: Remember your baptism in Christ.
Amen.
Bishop Rhiannon says: Almighty God, we thank you for our fellowship in the household of faith with all who have been baptised into your name. Keep us faithful to our baptism, and so make us ready for that day when the whole creation shall be made perfect in your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Confirmation ⭐
Bishop: Our help is in the name of the Lord
who has made heaven and earth.
Bishop: Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and for ever. Amen.
Bishop Rhiannon extends hands towards all candidates and prays: Almighty and ever-living God, you have given these your servants new birth in baptism by water and the Spirit, and have forgiven them all their sins. Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and inward strength; the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and let their delight be in the fear of the Lord.
Amen.
Amen.
The congregation pray for all those confirmed:
Defend, O Lord, these your servants
with your heavenly grace,
that they may continue yours for ever,
and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more
until they come to your everlasting kingdom. Amen.
The Peace
To crown all things there must be love, to bind all together and complete the whole. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
Bishop: The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Offertory Hymn
Come, thou Holy Spirit, come, and from thy celestial home shed thy light and brilliancy: Father of the poor, draw near, giver of all gifts, be here, come, the soul's true radiancy.
Come, of comforters the best, of the soul the sweetest guest, come in toil refreshingly: thou in labour rest most sweet, thou art shadow from the heat, comfort in adversity.
O thou Light most pure and blest, shine within the inmost breast of thy faithful company: where thou art not, man has nought; every holy deed and thought comes from thy divinity.
Sinful hearts do thou make whole, bring to life the arid soul, guide the feet that go astray: make the stubborn heart unbend, to the faint, new hope extend, wounded souls, their hurt allay.
Fill the faithful, who confide in thy power to guard and guide, with thy sevenfold mystery: here thy grace and virtue send, grant salvation in the end, and in heaven felicity.
Words: Stephen Langton (d 1228) tr. John Mason Neale — Tune: Veni sancte spiritus, Samuel Webbe the elder
The Eucharistic Prayer
Bishop: The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Bishop: Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Bishop: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
Father, you made the world and love your creation. You gave your Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. His dying and rising have set us free from sin and death. And so we gladly thank you, with saints and angels praising you, and singing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Eucharistic Prayer continues, recalling the Last Supper: On the night before he died… Take, eat; this is my body… Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant…
So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did, in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross… we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.
Bishop: Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
…through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of Bread
Bishop: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.
The Giving of Communion
Draw near with faith. Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for you, and his blood which he shed for you. Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
Communicant members of all Christian Churches are welcome. Please wait to be directed by the Sidesmen. Gluten-free wafers are available.
Agnus Dei
The Choir sings: Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. (×2) …grant us peace.
The Communion Motets
The Choir sings: Beati quorum via integra est (Stanford) — Blessed are they whose way is blameless. Then: The peace of God which passeth all understanding (Osgood).
The Prayer after Communion
God of mercy, by whose grace alone we are accepted and equipped for your service: stir up in us the gifts of your Holy Spirit and make us worthy of our calling; that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Final Hymn
How shall I sing that majesty which angels do admire? Let dust in dust and silence lie; Sing, sing ye heavenly choir. Thousands of thousands stand around thy throne, O God most high; ten thousand times ten thousand sound thy praise; but who am I?
Thy brightness unto them appears, whilst I thy footsteps trace; a sound of God comes to my ears, but they behold thy face. They sing because thou art their Sun; Lord, send a beam on me; for where heaven is but once begun there alleluias be.
Enlighten with faith's light my heart, inflame it with love's fire; then shall I sing and bear a part with that celestial choir. I shall, I fear, be dark and cold, with all my fire and light; yet when thou dost accept their gold, Lord, treasure up my mite.
How great a being, Lord, is thine, which doth all beings keep! Thy knowledge is the only line to sound so vast a deep. Thou art a sea without a shore, a sun without a sphere; thy time is now and evermore, thy place is everywhere.
John Mason (c 1646–94) — Tune: Coe Fen, Ken Naylor (1931–91)
The Dismissal
The Giving of a Lighted Candle 🕯️
Bishop: God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and has given us a place with the saints in light. You have received the light of Christ; walk in this light all the days of your life.
Shine as a light in the world
to the glory of God the Father.
The Blessing
Bishop: God the Father, who has given to his Son the name above every name, strengthen you to proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord.
Amen.
Bishop: God the Son, who is our great high priest passed into the heavens, plead for you at the right hand of the Father.
Amen.
Bishop: God the Holy Spirit, who pours out his abundant gifts upon the Church, make you faithful servants of Christ our King.
Amen.
Bishop: And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
The Dismissal
Bishop: Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
All are invited to remain to listen to the Organ Voluntary, which is offered as part of the act of worship.
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS IAN!
Welcome to the family! ✝️