A cousin gave me the bulletin that announced my birth and stated the rose on the alter that Sunday morning many decades ago was in celebration of me! That's a grand way to start a life!
I will never get over the total kick and rush of officiating a baptism. When I moved from congregational setting ministry to the extension ministry designation, I would get teary every time a baptism was celebrated. I missed officiating those "place a bookmark here" moments in the lives of the child, parents, families, congregations. I still have opportunities and every time I am asked, it's a ready 'YES!" I've created my own liturgy to make it personal and relevant for all involved and I always use a seashell, I like the symbolism and if there is an older sibling provides an occasion to involve her/him in the sacrament by carrying up the shell and handing it to me. Of course, parents tend to dress the baby in the frilliest, laciest, most layered outfit. Those can be kind of slippy so I'm one who tells the parents to place the baby in my outstretched arms and I'll take it from there.
We Methodists, are big on infant baptism and sprinkling the water. We also take the newly baptized baby on a brief tour of the congregation for the congregants to "ooh and ahh" and be re-minded (dash intentional) that they have just promised to uphold and support and actively care for this little one. I take that promise seriously and in my view that promise is a lifetime guarantee.
Today, remember.....what you've been told about your baptism, were you a yeller or were you chill? Who officiated?
Remember the baptisms of all the beloved ones in your life at which you've been present.
May your remembering be active and affirm that you are a blessed, beloved, beautiful child of God....always.
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