Welcome, Children of God
For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)
Dear people clothed in Christ!
What a joyous month it has been. Two baptisms within not even a week, that’s quite a record for our congregation. And two candidates for baptism on both ends of the age and faith spectrum.
One baby, Eloise, who just started smiling at people, embracing everyone she meets, bringing instant joy to everyone who gets to see her. It even works over Zoom. I tried it.
And one adult, a true lady, Carol, who also smiles and laughs a lot. Apparently, people who want to be baptized, are happy people. At least, that’s what the CTK September qualitative analysis suggests.
Both baptismal candidates were clothed in beautiful dresses. Eloise wore a family piece, her mom and auntie had already worn for their baptisms. A great symbol of how we become part of a huge, worldwide family of Christians of all times. Carol wore a white and lightly pink blouse. A strong image of the idea that life even at it’s hardest, even during a pandemic can be light and bright when Jesus is involved.
Baptizing a baby and a matured lady within a few days, really shows what baptism is about. It’s about pure grace. God gives it to us whenever the time is ripe. Eloise will grow up in a Christian family, with wonderful aunts and uncles, grandparents and parents, telling her about their faith. She will get to explore the Catholic tradition and our Lutheran ideas at Christ the King. She will listen to her brother Robert recite bible verses he learned at his school run by Prince of Peace. She will encounter God in different ways and at one point hopefully be able to say YES to this God. No matter when or how that is going to happen, God’s YES stands forever. God will not leave Eloise. That’s a promise. Made in baptism. At the beginning of Eloise’s faith life.
Of course, the same is true for Carol. And yet, Carol’s decision to get baptized comes after a whole life of searching for God. Carol has felt the Holy Spirit very strongly in recent years. She started not only feeling the blessings God provided but also naming God as the source of them. Carol’s baptism is not a beginning, it’s a seal of her faith. God has already been with her, often unnoticed, waiting for Carol to find out. She did, of course. Because the Holy Spirit knows what she is up to when choosing to anoint people. In her baptism, Carol said YES to God’s HELLO long ago.
So, please welcome our two newest members, Eloise Rodarte (Sarah Ward’s daughter) and Carol Lowe (sponsored by Jan Kerbel). And remember, that we are clothed in Christ. That means in faith and hope and love. And that means, to spread the faith, hope and love. Because together with the Holy Spirit we can!
Yours in Christ, Pastor Tia!
