THE NAMING OF JACK.
Grandad:
N and N, you have brought N here to be welcomed by your family and
friends, to name him, and to appoint his support-parents.
What name have you chosen?
Parents:
N.
Grandad:
Will you do all you can to help N become a responsible, self-reliant,
caring person, and will you give love and cherish his individuality and help
him develop in his own way?
Parents:
We will.
A reading (read by a friend):
‘Children Learn What They Live’.
If a child lives with
tolerance, she learns to be patient. If
a child lives with encouragement, she learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, she learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, she learns judgement.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, she learns to give
love to the world.
Mother: As well as naming N today, we would like to acknowledge the
love and support we receive from our families, and thank them for their
ongoing kindness. We are also
very lucky to have friends outside our own family who are concerned with N’s
welfare and happiness. We call
these special family friends ‘support-parents’.
They are prepared to express their love and concern by making a
commitment now to give help and support at any future time, should the need
arise.
Grandad: (to support parents)
Do you accept a commitment to N, to offer friendship and sanctuary, so
that he can turn to you in times of doubt or difficulty with confidence and
trust, and will you now give what support you can to N and N as N’s parents?
Support-parents:
We will.
Grandad:
We must also recognise the commitment of N as a support-parent, who due
to unforeseen circumstances cannot be with us today.
A reading (read by a
support-parent): ‘The Child’.
A child is the only point on
which there converges from everyone a feeling of love and gentleness.
People’s souls soften and sweeten when one speaks of children.
The whole of mankind shares in the deep emotions which they awaken.
The child is a well spring of love.
Grandad:
N, on behalf of all of us here, I welcome you with love.
