AN INVITATION
Recently I had the opportunity of
visiting an adorable, special, little girl.
Her name is Erin. Erin is eight months old.
Her mother is Elizabeth and her grandmother is Emily. They both have been
attending Trinity Church.
I visited Erin because I went to talk
with her family about her baptism.
Because of Erin’s situation, she at this point in her life is not able to endure
a morning worship service. The hope
is that maybe someday she will. Due
to her situation, Erin will be baptized at a different time than our morning
worship. That time will be at 3:00
PM on Sunday, September 26. The
place of her baptism will be in the sanctuary.
I share all this information about Erin
because
I want to
invite you,
the whole congregation,
to her
baptism.
The reason for this invitation is because in the United Methodist Church
our baptism is not to be a private affair, if at all possible.
Instead, it is to be an experience or sacrament that is done in the midst
of the church or the body of Christ.
The reason for this is because the baptismal service has several purposes.
1. First of all, due to its sacramental
nature, it is to celebrate the grace of God upon an individual’s life.
It is intended to be an outward sign of God’s saving grace.
Our belief in the United Methodist Church is that a child is under the
grace of God. We hear about God’s
grace in the Introduction To The Service where we hear these words: “Through the
Sacrament of Baptism … we are incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation
and given new birth through water and the Spirit.
All this is God’s gift, offered to us without price.”
2. A
second purpose for the baptismal service is that through baptism, one becomes a
part of the church. As heard in the
Introduction To The Service, “Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are initiated
into Christ’s holy church.” Thus,
through baptism we become a part of Christ’s universal church and are listed as
a Baptized Member in the United Methodist Church.
3. A third
purpose of the baptismal service is that it is intended to be a time for the
members of the congregation to be reminded of their own baptism.
It is to be a time for them to renew or reaffirm their baptism.
This purpose is why in our baptismal service the pastor addresses the
congregation and asks: “Do you, as Christ’s body, the church, reaffirm both your
rejection of sin and your commitment to Christ?”
4. One other purpose is that the
baptismal service is a time for the congregation to express its love and
commitment to nurturing individuals being baptized into the Christian Faith.
This purpose is heard in this question the pastor asks the congregation:
“Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include these
persons now before you in your care?”
It is heard in the congregation’s response: “We will surround these
persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their
service to others. We will pray for
them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.”
Also, it is heard when the Pastor says at the end of the baptismal
service: “Members of the household of God, I commend these persons to your love
and care. Do all in your power to
increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.”
My hope is that as many of us as
possible will be able to attend Erin’s baptism on Sunday, September 26, at 3:00
PM in the church’s sanctuary. Also,
my hope is that Erin will be in our prayers, as well as her mom, Elizabeth.
May all of us be faithful to our
baptism. May all of us continue to
grow and be faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ.
May all of us do what we are able to show children and their families
that they are loved in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Don