For the last 24 years I have been co-ordinating our Baptism Visitors scheme.
I am now passing that “hat” on to Nicci Vesey and taking a new role in the church.

How did the Baptism Visitors Scheme start?
Bert Allwood and I were given Baptism Follow-up as a PCC responsibility. Anniversary cards and Garden Party Invitations were being delivered through the Young Wives groups usually by different people each time and often no contact was made with the families. We took what was already there and extended it:
• Each family was allocated a member of the congregation as their visitor, who sought to befriend the family and encourage them to get involved in church life
• We found new more colourful Anniversary cards
• We held annual review meetings to make the visitors feel part of a team

Development and Difficulties
Over the years more ideas have come from the visitors:
• We now deliver Christmas cards to the families
• We had an Easter/Palm Sunday afternoon service and tea party
• Bible story books are given as a present at the Parish Garden Party
• We produce a Newsletter
• We promote Toddlers Praise
• We offer “My Baptism Book” on the 5th Baptism Anniversary

One visitor was prevented from delivering the anniversary card by an angry dog, and one visitor received a very rude response and we discontinued the visits. Other than that our volunteers have faithfully continued the visits for the 5 years following the baptism. Our main difficulties are finding the right time when family and visitor are both available. Increasingly both parents are out at work and the weekend is needed for family visits. Telephone contact and the post are becoming more necessary.

Facts and Figures
Since 1986:
• 162 members of our congregation have been visitors
• Approx. 1465 children have been baptised and the families visited for 5 years

There is much paperwork, admin and recordkeeping. The following have been involved in this (usually three at any one time):
Barbara Wolfe, Bert Allwood, Carol Collings, Richard Skelton (who pioneered computer labels for us on a Dos system), Douglas Maidment (who didn’t drive but walked miles in Walton delivering cards and letters to the visitors), Caroline Merrick, Linda Muggleton (who introduced our newsletter), Jane Hall followed by Christine Eldridge (who have written the Anniversary cards and supplied them to the visitors), Michael Trimble (who now produces labels for us from the Parish Database).
Time, homes, cars, personal computers, stationery have been generously used.

Thank you
I have been very involved in steering and keeping the scheme together but couldn’t have done it without the commitment, support and good humour of those named above.
A big “Thank you” as well to all our 162 visitors for cheerfully carrying on and for finding time in your busy lives to visit. We have sown many seeds for God’s Kingdom and we pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to water them. Thanks to you all from me and please continue to support Linda Muggleton and Nicci Vesey as they carry on. We need a new set of 10 visitors every year so please contact them if you can help.
Barbara Wolfe