Artist: Daniel Bonnell
The sun is shining now, but worship was cancelled in the congregation we attend because of the weather of the past 24 hours, including record rainfall and freezing rain. It was one of those "should we or shouldn't we?" situations and a tough call for the minister and brain trust of the congregation.
Isn't there an irony about many churches shutting down for the Sunday called Baptism of Christ because of water in its different forms? Jesus was baptizedby John the Baptizer in the Jordan River of ancient Palestine. It was truly an extra-ordinary event with God's presence through the Holy Spirit and the affirmation that Jesus was uniquely God's child. No ice auger was needed to make an opening for a polar bear holy plunge, no windshields were scraped to bring the crowd together to witness the event.
Baptism of Jesus - Rembrandt
All during my ministry I wondered if the anabaptists had it right, baptizing adults on a profession of faith rather than the RC and mainline Protestant choice to baptize infants, for the most part. Our three children were baptized when they were old enough to make affirmations of faith, and I baptized faithful souls at different stages of life. One of the most memorable was my mother, in her late 70s, in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. She grew up Salvation Army and was never baptized despite gaining membership in the United Church along the way.
I was always unsettled about presiding at baptisms when they seemed to be a nod to convention or when there was little indication of commitment and discipleship on the part of families. Baptism isn't like the January gym membership where folk resolve to get fit and then pay not to go. Still, baptism as one of our two Protestant sacraments can be a profound "outward expression of inward commitment" and I experienced that many times.
Stay safe today everyone!
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