Anne Bennett will use an iPad to conduct a baptism

by Lynn Cox

A vicar's knowledge of technology will certainly come in handy today when she stages a baptism with a difference.

Anne Bennett, the vicar of Borstal, used to work for electronics and entertainment giant Sony before she became a woman of the cloth.

Her experience with computer technology will help her when she conducts a baptism at St Matthew's Church in the Rochester village... over the internet.

Mother-of-two Anne, 50, will be keeping her iPad well away from the holy water in the font when she conducts the ceremony online - to allow a godparent in another country to take part in the service.

The baby being baptised is just six months old and it is the first virtual ceremony Anne has ever performed.

looking forward to having a virtual godparent at sunday's baptism, attending from far distant land. must keep ipad clear of font.

— anne bennett (@vicarofborstal) april 29, 2013

Anne posted a tweet about the event on her Twitter account on Monday night.

It read: "Looking forward to having a virtual godparent at Sunday's baptism, attending from far distant land. Must keep iPad clear of font."

She will use her iPad to speak to the godparent to get them to recite on oath of their duties to the child during the ceremony.

Anne, who took up her post last year, was a latecomer to the church after working for 20 years for Sony, charged with installing logistics systems throughout Europe. She joined the ministry in 2000 after the birth of her daughter, who is now 12.

She added: "St Matthew’s is a beautiful Victorian church with the best in traditional worship, but we embrace technology where it helps us to bring God's love into our community."