Baptism of our Lord (with Advent 1)

This morning, our little church in Blawenburg celebrated the Baptism of our Lord. And on the first Sunday of Advent, I took pictures of the interior of our historical building. (Here's a mashup of the two).

Every week before the sermon, there is a "children's message" during which the children go to the front of the church. Each week "the children" are comprised of our three younger children, the son of the pastor, and one or two other kids.

This week when we arrived at the building, there was a crystal pitcher and bowl filled with water on a table in front. "It's because this Sunday is the Baptism of our Lord Sunday! I saw it on the calendar!" Pixie whispered. She was right!

This week we had warned the boys about paying attention during the children's message after a less-than-stellar performance last time that involved some poking and prodding of one another. There are only 30-40 people in the room, so those shenanigans are fully visible to everyone. This week as the children's message went on I was a little nervous about how the three Covs would resist the temptation presented by being splashed with water at the beginning of the children's message…and then being invited to splash the pastor in return at the end. Are you kidding me? an invitation to raucousness? Can anyone who knows our boys imagine this? (The pastor's only child is 18 months old and as of yet incapable of giving better than he gets.) I think I actually covered my face. However, nothing too crazy happened and after a few splashes the ninjas turned and trotted back up the aisle to our pew.

They then proceeded to narrate aloud all that had just transpired, as if we hadn't seen it. There was considerable amusement expressed from the pews behind us. Once again, I was grateful for this generally gray-headed church that is so incredibly welcoming of our children.

This was not a communion Sunday at Blawenburg Reformed Church, but after the sermon we did all file forward communion style. Pastor Travis took water and made the sign of the cross on our foreheads, saying, "Remember your baptism…and be made whole."

Not quite the Anglican "marked as Christ's own forever,"but a good reminder, particularly in concert with the sermon this morning reminding us of our identity in Christ.

The kids had a lot of fun trying to actually remember their baptisms (Bud was 4 days old, and Wombles was 2.75 years old, and both more or less insist they can remember something. At least everyone but Nutmeg can remember Nutmeg's). It was a good opportunity to chat with the kids about remembering what our baptism means, rather than the actual physical sensations. All the same, it was special to have the tangible reminder of the water again today, and I am grateful.

Organ in the rear of the sanctuary, above the doors.
This is where the boys got a tour of the organ and also where they could fall over the rail.

Happy Sunday!