Yesterday was Baptism of Jesus Sunday. In some churches, like mine, we remember our own baptisms on this Sunday, which usually means coming forward and taking a pebble out of a bowl of water. I admit, the first time I participated I just didn’t get it. Coming from a Pentecostal background where such things were not observed—along with, and especially, things like Lent—this seemed foreign and meaningless to me.
The change in theology has been refreshing, even welcomed, but I have not always found meaning in some of the practices of my new faith. But, it’s a journey. Interestingly, within the same faith community we are on different journeys as we come from Catholic, Evangelical, Quaker or Pentecostal traditions.
Just before Christmas two years ago my mother died unexpectedly the morning I was leaving for a trip to Germany. It made for a difficult trip but I had visited with her the evening before and now there was nothing more I could do for her. But on this trip I realized how much I am embraced by my faith community through the outpouring of emails and Facebook messages from a continent away.
A month later on Baptism of Jesus Sunday I understood what baptism is about. It’s about being baptized into, and living out baptism within, a faith community. I didn’t realize how much I needed their e-words of comfort. But we more than comfort each other. There’s teaching, leading and inspiring.
Living out my baptism has taken on a whole new meaning among these people. Baptism isn’t something just to check off a list like getting a ticket to Heaven punched. My Quaker sisters and brothers don’t even observe baptism and they are some of the dearest of God’s children. We live out our baptism—or our statement of faith—within community. It challenges us every day to live out the Gospel of healing the sick, embracing the exile, feeding the hungry—and a particular lesson I have learned from, and live out within, my community is sheltering those who are homeless.
So I carry this pebble and remember every time I touch it how this faith community embraces, leads, teaches, challenges and inspires me.
very moving commentary, Sam. Would love to talk with you more about your Pentecostal background.
ReplyDeleteAnd your current understanding of Baptism.
tjessen, what more would you like to know about my Pentecostal background. You probably have different questions than I would think of.
ReplyDeleteAs for my current understanding of baptism, Pentecostals see it as necessary for salvation, to get in heaven. For me today, baptism unites me with a faith community. My baptism is somewhat unique in my progressive faith community--although many in this faith community have unique baptisms. But, we don't question the specifics of our baptisms. For me, this is very Jesus.
In short, baptism for me now is about being part of a faith community and in my faith community I feel salvation. Especially when we open our doors to doors twice a week to people in our wider community who are homeless. And this faith community has taught me not to call them homeless. They are people first who are homeless. Thanks First United Church for saving me to see this.
Sam