With Baptism of our Lord this Sunday (for lectionary-keeping churches), it’s a great opportunity to explore your denomination’s baptismal theology in worship, or simply explore the imagery.
If your font is movable, consider locating it near the entrance to the sanctuary to highlight the symbolism.
Consider placing bowls of water throughout the worship space and encouraging worshipers to trace the sign of the cross on one another with the water.
If your font is a bowl, consider using something larger in it’s place: an artificial pond, a kiddie pool, a claw-foot tub—what could you use to heighten the extravagance of the symbol? Jesus was washed in the Jordan; how can you emphasize the large volume of water as a testament to God’s abundant grace?
Consider a rite of “affirmation of baptism” for the whole assembly, concluding with sprinkling the congregation with water from the font via an evergreen branch.
For Lutheran congregations, consider using the questions and answers on Holy Baptism from Luther’s Small Catechism in worship. The pastor could ask the questions and the congregation could take the answers, or vice versa. Alternatively, you could read through it twice, with the congregation asking the questions the first time through, then answering them the second time through. Or, recycle this again on Transfiguration Sunday to bookmark this season; for Baptism of our Lord, have the congregation ask the questions, and on Transfiguration have the congregation recite the answers.
Finally, brainstorm ways for worshippers to take this theme home with them. How can they remember the significance of their baptism daily? Is there something tangible they could take home, say, a seashell (traditionally used to pour water over the head of the baptized during the rite)? The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
What does baptism mean to you? How will this Sunday’s theme be significant in your own faith journey?
1 comments:
I like those ideas of having a tangible and active experience since water is easy to use. My grandparents (my grandpa is a retired pastor) always have had a little saying above their sink that says "When you wash your face, remember your baptism," attributed to Luther. I always thought that was a practical and effective way to remember it daily.
Being metaphorically and literally washed clean each day to refresh the body and spirit is an easy analogy, which is probably intentional. The 1st baptism counts for eternity, of course, but while we are in linear time, it seems to be helpful to renew each day!
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