THERE WAS NOTHING TO SEE SUNDAY
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I HAVE DISCOVERED in my time in pastoral ministry is there is no such thing as a routine Sunday morning in the life of a church. Whether it is the celebration of the Lord's Supper, administering the sacrament of Holy Baptism, welcoming visitors into the life of our congregation, the simple act of God's people coming together to be the church...well, the list could go on and on.
This past Sunday will go down as one of the most joyful of my life because we gathered together to welcome another into the family of God through the sacrament of Holy Baptism.
We gathered together to support a beautiful young couple as they presented their baby boy for baptism, being with them as they made sacred promises to raise their boy within the life of the church so that he may grow and develop a faith that flourishes to when he will confirm the faith laid out at his baptism.
We gathered with the baby's big brothers, grandparents, and other close friends and family who will tell the baby boy of the celebration the church held on the occasion of his baptism.
We affirmed our faith through the call and response to the historic questions of the liturgy handed down to us by the saints that have gone before us in the faith -
"Do you believe in God the Father?"
"Do you believe in Jesus Christ?"
"Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?"
Through the prayer over the water, we heard once again of God's use of water throughout the scriptures to bring life.
We affirmed with our, 'Amen,' the words of the church at baptism - "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
We welcomed young Richard Cole Breen into the life of the church by renewing our sacred vows to support our congregation with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
Do you notice something consistent here? The same consistent thing that appeared in the liturgy of the ritual of Holy Baptism last Sunday?
That's correct. Nowhere are any of the assembled merely spectators. From the officiant to the one being baptized to those presenting this beautiful boy for baptism to friends and family who came for this special day to the folks of FUMC - West Monroe who did the business of the church by gathering as God's people for the worship of God - everyone had a unique, God-given role to play in this sacred ritual that is as old as the church itself.
So, there was nothing to see Sunday. But there was a glorious celebration in which all of us gathered got to participate.
THIS is why I love the joy of gathering for worship every week...you just never know in what you might get to participate, while knowing full well you will never be called to merely spectate.
Grace and Peace,
Lamar