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Baptisms
Baptism is one of the two sacraments recognised by the Church of Scotland, the other being the Sacrament of Holy Communion. In the case of infant baptism the Church expects at least one parent or other close family member either to be a member of the Church or willing to become a member.
In the baptismal service those appropriate adults profess their own faith and promise to give the child a Christian upbringing.
In the case of adult baptism the person himself or herself makes the appropriate promises.
Baptism is normally administered at Sunday worship in front of the congregation. This emphasises the nature of the sacrament as incorporation into the body of Christ and the life of the Church. There is a little more flexibility in the case of genuine emergencies, normally in a hospital situation.
The thanksgiving and blessing of a child.
Since 2003, the Church has provided orders for the thanksgiving for, and blessing of, a child. The blessing ceremony takes place at morning worship following the same pattern as that for Baptism, except the wording and promises are different, and no water is used. Nothing is required of the parents in either commitment or belief. Our guide on the blessing of a child includes more information and a suggested order of service for the thanksgiving and blessing of a child.
Weddings
Who Can Be Married at New Parish Church?
Our church is welcoming and inclusive. Following a Church of Scotland decision in 2022, our minister, Rev William Boyle, is now an approved celebrant for same-sex marriages.
If you love one another and wish to spend your lives together, we’d be honoured to discuss your wedding plans with you.
Anyone living within our parish is eligible to be married in our church by our minister. If you live outside the parish but have a connection to the church, the minister may also agree to conduct your wedding.
Every part of Scotland is served by a parish church, so if you live elsewhere, it may be appropriate to first contact your local parish minister. That said, even couples from outside Scotland are welcome to celebrate their wedding here.
If you’re unsure whether you can be married at New Parish Church, please don’t hesitate to contact our minister, William Boyle.
Registering Your Marriage
To legally register your marriage, you must contact your local registrar and give at least 29 days’ notice.
We recommend doing this well in advance, as registrars can be very busy. The marriage schedule is a vital legal document—without it, your wedding cannot proceed.
For legal questions or to begin the registration process, please contact the Registrar’s Office at Inverclyde Council:
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📞 Phone: 01475 714250
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📧 Email: registrars@inverclyde.gov.uk
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If your wedding will take place outside Inverclyde, you’ll need to contact the registrar nearest to your chosen venue.
Funerals
The funeral
As with most funerals the service can take many forms, according to circumstances and the wishes of the deceased and their family. It can, for example, be short and simple with only a few members of the family present, or much longer, with many more people present, and with hymns and music and prayers and tributes to the deceased.
The funeral may take place in a parish church, or in the chapel of a crematorium, or even at home or in an undertaker's parlour.
Funerals usually follow the traditional order of service which includes the gathering, the address and tributes, readings and sermon, prayers, commendation and farewell, and the committal.
The service
During the gathering the family and mourners will arrive and the minister may meet the coffin at the door of the church. The minister will welcome everyone and introduce the service. Prayers will be said and a hymn may be sung. The minister and others may then make their tributes to the deceased.
This will be followed by readings from the Bible and by psalms or hymns. The Minister will preach a sermon, and will lead the congregation in prayer, beginning with thanksgiving for the life of the deceased and prayers for those who mourn.
The service ends with the commendation and farewell, in which the deceased is commended to God.
The committal
The committal may take place at the side of the grave, or in the crematorium, or possibly in the church before the body of the deceased is taken to the crematorium.
If the deceased is to be buried, the coffin will be taken to the grave, and as the coffin is lowered into it the minister will commit the body to the ground "in sure and certain hope of Resurrection to eternal life" (or words to that effect).
Reception after the funeral
The funeral may be followed by a reception in the family's house, or at some other location, where food and drink is served.
Memorial service
Many families will hold a memorial service or another event to mark the anniversary of the death of the deceased.
Some families may choose to arrange a small private funeral and then invite more distant relations and friends to a memorial service a few weeks or months later.
Charitable donations.
The deceased person may have asked for a charitable donation to be made instead of flowers, in which case they will usually have specified a particular charity or good cause. The announcement of death made in a local or national newspaper is usually the place where the choice of the deceased or their family is made known.
The Church of Scotland has recognised that it is increasingly common for families to ask for a collection to be made during the funeral service for a charity of their or the deceased's choice, and for this collection to be made by the funeral directors.
The Church has drafted a style of undertaking which it recommends that funeral directors should be required to sign. This document can be accessed on the Church's website.