Baptism of Christ in a Cold(er) Climate

 

 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.

I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Mark 1: 1-11 NRSVue

I've noted in the past that the Baptism of Christ Sunday comes at an odd time for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. We could imagine cutting a hole in the ice, with the assistance of an ice-fisher, to perform one of our two Protestant sacraments, although this winter has been so mild it might be more of a polar bear dip style baptism. As you can see, I managed to find a photo of some very earnest or very foolhardy believers who did choose this option --please note that they're all men because women are generally sane. 

I know, it's rare for us to baptize outdoors in any season, Come to think of it, in many mainline/old-line congregations baptisms are rare at any time because of shrinking and aging church communities. There have been a number of baptisms at Trenton United during the six years we've worshipped there, always a sign of life. 

                                    Baptism illustration from the Gospel of Mark, the  St. John's Bible 

At times in the earlier days of my ministry I baptized anywhere from four to eight children on a Sunday morning and I fretted over getting names right and avoiding dishpan hands. On my settlement charge in outport Newfoundland there was an archaic system in which the "baby bonus" commenced after a clergyperson baptized the newborn and then sent a registration certificate to St. John's. So much for the separation of church and state...I really hated that role.

 The Covenant of Baptism

 Baptism celebrates God’s initiative and our response. It is God’s “Yes” to us, and our “Yes” to God. It is a sign of the Divine-human covenant. Baptism flows from God’s unmerited grace and pours out in lives of gratitude and commitment. As initiation into the Church, the Body of Christ, it is an act of welcoming, blessing, and belonging...

 Our baptismal identity is both individual and communal. Baptism honours the diversity of individuals and challenges us to be a community of equals. 

                            from Celebrate God's Presence: A Book of Services, United Church of Canada

 I didn't splash water around indiscriminately, and baptisms were often holy moments for me. While I never saw a dove hovering over the baptismal font, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. There was always an invitation to commitment in Christ's name, for parents and the congregation.I never took that for granted.  I did a number of outdoor baptisms through the years, and my oldest candidate was in her eighties. Her parents were not present. 

May there never be another squirt gun baptism, one of the weirder developments of the COVID epidemic. We all went a little crazy during those years, didn't we?