The are a lovely celebration of the church, a delightful day when (usually) an adorable baby or cute child is enfolded into the embrace of the church community, when the family of origin and the family of faith merge. And did I mention that the guests of honor are adorable?
So this Sunday we celebrate a baptism of a child of a child of the church, which reminds us (if I may crib from my Presbyterian liturgy) that the promises of the gospel belong also to our children. In both UCC and Presbyterian tradition, the congregation functions collectively as what some traditions call “godparents.” In answering the question of the congregation, we are all, all of us together, assenting to take care of and watch over and encourage and love the baptized child in a special relationship. Often enough parents will ask some family friends or relatives to stand up with them in that familiar “god parent” role, and I like that supportive presence and encourage it. But I never want parents to feel they are all by themselves in rearing their little ones if they don’t have someone standing there. That’s because we are all standing there with parents and child as a really huge crowd of godparents; we are all in it with them! I even like to have the other children in the congregation right up close and have some of them help pour the water in the font; they are the child’s sisters and brothers, too!
And those promises to love and help the child grow in faith are why most congregations have children’s spiritual education programs to provide practical support for our children as they grow up. We have Sunday School classes and then youth activities and a confirmation time as they mature. All because we take being the god parents (and aunts and uncles and sisters and brothers and grandparents and….) seriously. But that’s also why we encourage and enjoy them running around during fellowship time and why we vacuum up cookie crumbs after them. This is the house of the family of faith. We want them to feel loved and to grow to help others (that’s why we have mission trips!) in ways appropriate to them. And in due time we hope the promises their parents make at baptism will become theirs, too, and they will confirm them in worship years hence to become part of the church themselves. And to become “god family” for other children of the church!
We say each Sunday at the beginning of our time together that “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” For Heidi McGowan, daughter of Ross McGowan and Carrie Richards, Sunday is the “official” beginning of her life journey in faith. I’d love it if you could be there to get her off to a good, godly start!
In Christ,
David
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Exodus 33:12-23
From the Epistle 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
From the Gospels Matthew 22:15-22
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