Christening Speeches

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Written By Jim Peterson

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

christening speechesChristening speeches content for anyone who sponsors a godchild at baptism and for a toast by relatives and friends. What to say, you ask, when you have the honor of being the spiritual or second parents to a child to a little born baby.

Well, here are seven answers from real life:

 

Starting-up is easy. First reveal yourself to the attendees. You can always start out as a godparent by telling everyone these seven things in christening speeches :

  1. How you felt when you were asked to fill this important role.
  2. How long you know the proud parents;
  3. How well you know them.
  4. Speak about your intentions towards your godchild;
  5. How you view your responsibilities;
  6. You can also discuss the child’s future;
  7. What her or his future might look like.

Q. What is a christening toast or baptism speech? 
A. A christening can consist of many firsts for a baby. It might be the first time that a baby meets her extended family and in many cases, it might be her introduction to the Christian faith and rites.

For example christening speeches by godparents given at an initiation church rite are a way for any beginning or advanced public speaker to:

  1. Address the special people and friends who have come from far away;
  2. Talk a bit about what the baby means to them;
  3. Show how the christian or church community welcomes the new born;
  4. And to thank everyone for their presence.

Q: How to prepare as godparent?
A: Being asked to be a godparent is an important honor, and you will want to make sure that you say the right things during your christening toast speech.

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To really prepare yourself, spend some time talking with the child’s parents and spend some time with the child herself.

  1. What are the parents’ hopes and dreams for their child;
  2. What role do they expect you to play in her life?
  3. When you spend time with your godchild;
  4. Think about how you feel;
  5. What you want for the baby.

The relationship between a godchild and a godparent is a very special one, think about what it means to you to play this part in your godchild’s life.

Q: What to say in general in christening speeches as a public speaker. E.g. a guest, mother or father, sister, brother or other relative?
A: Many family members of a christened child want to say something at the baptism ceremony or toast occasion.

If you’re not a godparent, you’ll discover that there are still plenty of things to mention, bring in memory and share with the attendees.

  1. Speak about why you were asked to speak;
  2. What relationship you have with the parents of the baby;
  3. Talk about what an influence that they have been in your life;
  4. Speak about what kind of parents they will be;
  5. If you’ve spent some time with the baby, talk about her;
  6. Show how you feel about her;
  7. What kind of baby she is;
  8. Where you hope she’ll go;
  9. What you hope she will see.

Q: When, on what occasion? 
A. A christening speech can take place at a special time, when the whole family and all of the invited parties can be around, or you may find that it will be appended to a normal Sunday service.

This will depend largely on the preference of the family, and while some parents do like the thought of making the child a part of the community right away, other parents prefer that the baptizing be a fairly private thing.

Q: What to say in general in a christening toast, are there any ideas? 
A. Yes there are plenty. Remember: these do not have to be long and boring baptismal texts. One or two minutes will do most of the time. It is like giving a small statement, a welcome from the heart.

No matter who you are or what relation you are to the baby, you will still have plenty to say. In this section for talks at special occasions when young people are christened or baptised I have invented many speech topic ideas.

For example here are my seven hints for a perfect and proper christening speech. They have helped many goodwilling godfathers and mothers, siblings, church ministers:

  1. About the role that the child already started to fill in the world;
  2. Speak about the people who love her and will care for this little baby;
  3. About what heartfelt hopes you and your relatives have for her;
  4. About how you felt when you heard that she was coming to the event;
  5. Talk about what she means to you personally at this ceremony;
  6. You can always end by thanking everyone for coming;
  7. Thank all for their well wishes

12 Christening Toast Tips

Christening toast speech topics and tips to write for a baptism event and illustated with nice gifts. Whether it is your child being baptized or you are simply very close to the parents and have been asked to say a few words, you will find it a very high honor.

And sure you want to show that to all attendees in your words and phrases. But first read these guidelines for speakers in church or other place where the family and friends are gathered:

Q: What should I keep in mind for writing a christening toast? 
A. When you are speech writing, remember this:

TIP # 1: LENGTH

It does not have to be long, and that ideally, it should be memorized. It takes a lot less time to memorize a one or two minute toast than you might think.

And for the most part, the shorter a speech, the better it is received by the listeners.

TIP # 2: SLOW DOWN

Remember that you should always speak more slowly than you think you need to. Especially when you have to deal with church acoustics…

TIP # 3: EYE CONTACT

Eye contact is the best way to speak to your audience. The christening speech you give should be not terribly far removed from the way that you talk.

TIP # 4: CASUAL

Keep it casual, not to use words that you will trip over, and concentrate on your genuine emotions.

TIP # 5: THE GIFT

Talk about the gift you want to give. They will trigger your memory and imagination. Take a gift and use it as the start of a story line. The speech topics will flow immediately – see below!

Q: What are great gifts at a christening toast? 
A. There are plenty of great gifts out there when you are considering getting something for the child in question.

BABY GIFTS
1. A first Bible is a great gift.2. You may also want to think about getting a silver picture frame, complete with a family picture.3. Or you may wish to think about jewelery that would be appropriate for the baby at a later age.

4. Personalized silver cups are another great gift item, engraved with a saying, wish, name, occasion, cross or date.

SPEECH IDEA TOPICS
1. Welcome the infant as a new member of church community.2. Read a Bible quotation related to the religious baptizing.3. Tell in your christening toast what the newborn means to you. Ask others to tell the same in one sentence. That’s called real interaction!

4. If you choose for an adjustable pearl bracelet, you can speak about hopes you have for the life to come.

5. If you choose for generation jewelry featuring your loved ones’ birthstones, than mark the day and ritual by exposing the crystals and whom they stand for.

6. Show the cup and tell what you want to say with it.

7. Read out loud wishes or sayings. And explain the relation with this day and baby.

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