Wild Church Baptism on Sunday 26th June, 3.30pm
Pathfinder Primary School field, at the end of the school car park.
What happened in the field?
Gathering by the Gate
- Noticing the beauty of creation
- Singing "Every Season":
Every Season, every Season, God is with us, God is with us
Spring and Summer, Autumn Winter, God’s love is unceasing.
[from Sam and Sara Hargreave's Worship in the Woods]
- Listening the to ancient poetry found in the Bible
8 Isn’t Lady Wisdom calling?
Listen; don’t you hear the voice of understanding crying out?
2 She’s taken her stand at the highest place in the city,
at the crossroads where everyone can see her.
3 There, and at the gates, at the entrance to the city,
right in front of the city doors she cries out:
4 Lady Wisdom: O people! I am calling to you;
I have a message for all humanity.
...
6 Listen, for I am about to tell you of unparalleled excellence and beauty;
what I am about to say will set things right.
Proverb 8, THE VOICE bible translation
Preparing for Baptism
we RUN to the next station...
Gathering to weave wisdom and beauty
Members of the church say:
- We thank God for I. who has come to be baptized today.
- Christ loves her and welcomes her into his Church.
Minister: So I ask you all: Will you support I. as she begins her journey of faith?
All We will.
Will you help her to live and grow within God’s family?
All We will.
The minister then addresses the parents and godparents
God knows each of us by name and we are his.
Parents and godparents, you speak for I. today.
Will you pray for her, and help her to follow Christ?
Parents and Godparents: We will.
Seeking Wisdom - reading poetry from the Bible
One of the key motifs at the start of the book of Proverbs is a parent, or a community, trying to help a child discern true wisdom from amongst all the temptations around them. The child in question happens to be a rich young man... which may colour the language and specific temptations.. So listen out for the transcendent as well as the specific, as we listen to some more extracts from Lady Wisdom’s poetry:
“10 My instruction is far more valuable than silver or gold.”
11 For the value of wisdom is far above rubies; nothing can be compared with it. 12 Wisdom and good judgment live together, for wisdom knows where to discover knowledge and understanding. 13 If anyone respects and fears God, he will hate evil. For wisdom hates pride, arrogance, corruption, and deceit of every kind.
..
27-29 “I was there when [God] established the heavens and formed the great springs in the depths of the oceans. I was there when he set the limits of the seas and gave them his instructions not to spread beyond their boundaries. I was there when he made the blueprint for the earth and oceans. 30 I was the craftsman at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. 31 And how happy I was with what he created—his wide world and all his family of mankind! 32 And so, young men, listen to me, for how happy are all who follow my instructions.
[Proverbs 8: The VOICE bible translation]
Creative Response
Over the next twenty minutes, we will work together – prayerfully, joyfully, as a community of faith – to draw on the ancient poetry of Lady Wisdom and the book of proverbs; as well as Jesus’s Words, the words in today’s Baptism, and our own experiences to WEAVE TOGETHER a lasting reminder for I. of this day.
A creative piece of artwork that will help her, as we just promised, live and grow within God’s family.
Practicalities
- Feel free to grab a bible and read the whole chapter – perhaps aloud to someone – poetry often works best aloud!
- Get creative – there are pens and paper – draw pictures of the beauty of Creation – and then weave your picture into our upcycled picture frame
- Weave in leaves of many colours – reminding us of the turning seasons and God with us
- Get reflective – use the pens and paper to write prayers for I.; or messages of hope, joy, and encouragement
- Make some choices. Can you choose words of wisdom from
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Lady Wisdom’s poetry
-
The sparkling temptations
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The wisdom captured in our baptism service
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Lady Wisdom’s celebration of God’s Creation
When we start to sing our Wild Church Song... we’ll gather together, and prepare for the next part of the Baptism Journey
We RUN to the paddling pool
Baptism Celebration
Making the decision of faith
A light is placed in the water as the minister addresses the parents and godparents.
We all wander away from God and lose our way:
Christ comes to find us and welcomes us home.
[He is the light that shines in the darkness]
In baptism we respond to his call.
Therefore I ask I’s parents and godparents
Do you turn away from sin, and all you know to be wrong? I do
Do you reject all that is evil? I do
Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I do
Do you trust him as Lord? I do
Because Baptism is not just a private ritual, but involves all of us, I invite all those who are or would like to be followers of Jesus to join with the parents and godparents affirming our shared faith responding to this question with “We believe and trust in him”.
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist?
All: We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature, died for us and rose again?
All: We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world?
All: We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
All: This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
All lights are placed in the water
The Baptism
The minister introduces this section, explaining how God’ spirit hovered over the waters at creation.
We look and splash at this water. It is
-
life giving
-
cleansing
-
refreshing
-
and powerful – without it there is no life.
Minister: We come to God the source of all life.
Voice 1: We pray that I. will know God’s purposes underpinning her life.
Minister: We believe that Christ is the Living water
Voice 2: And we pray that Jesus will become I's friend, example and saviour,
Minister: we come to know the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit which makes us more like Jesus.
Voice 3: And we pray that God’s spirit will be at work inside her, shaping a Christ like character and helping her to know what’s truly good in life.
Minister:
God, your spirit hovered over the waters at creation. So we ask that as we baptise I your spirit will be at work in her body, mind and spirit.
Amen.
Water is poured, and the minister prayers the traditional Prayer over the Water.
The minister holds the child and prays
... it was for you that Jesus Christ came into the world,
For you he lived among us and demonstrated God’s love
For you he died to conquer death
and rose to newness of life.
This he has done for you though you don't know it yet.
And so God's word is fulfilled:
“We love God because he loved us first."
I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church, pour upon you the riches of his grace,
that within the company of Christ’s pilgrim people
you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit,
and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory Amen.
Signing with the cross
Christ claims you for his own. Receive the sign of his cross. Do not be ashamed of Christ. You are his for ever.
All: Stand bravely with him against all the powers of evil,
and remain faithful to Christ to the end of your life.
May almighty God deliver you from the powers of darkness, and lead you in the light and obedience of Christ.
All: Amen.
Add the child's light to the pool.
Welcoming, Commissioning and Praying
You are now baptised! We welcome you, as we acknowledge that, though there are many churches, there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism:
By one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body.
All: We welcome you.
As a symbol of that welcome, and a reminder of the “central story” we base our faith upon, we present I. with the Devotional Book signed by members of the community.
The sacrament of baptism brings joy – and it also brings responsibility.
Addressing the parents & godparents & supporting friends...
In his grace God has claimed I. as his own
from this day she is at home in God's family.
You are witnesses of her baptism, tell her about it
so that she may know that he is baptised
and so that, as she grows,
she may come to make her own response in faith and love.
Addressing the Christian community...
Those of us gathered here today represent the whole church, a community where Christian faith is nurtured. Let us all stand with this family as we all reflect again on our own baptismal vows and our journey of faith.
Do you renew your commitment to Christ and, with God’s help, do you seek to share with all God’s people the knowledge and love of God?
All: We do We will nurture one another in faith
uphold one another in prayer
and encourage one another in service.
those who live by my ways will find true happiness.
33 Pay attention to my guidance, dare to be wise,
and don’t disregard my teachings.
34 The one who listens to me,
who carefully seeks me in everyday things
and delays action until my way is apparent, that one will find true happiness.
35 For when he recognizes and follows me, he finds a peaceful and satisfying life
and receives favor from the Eternal.
Proverbs 8: The VOICE bible translation
We RUN to the Glade
Looking ahead
Ever at play in God's presence by Mary Hanrahan , ( inspired by Proverbs 8:30-31)
We play with bubbles, and splash in the puddles together
We acknowledge that while we have shared much Joy today, there are many places where, today, that is not their experience.
SILENCE then Body Prayer Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Giving a candle & preparing to go out into the world
The minister explains and then gives a lighted candle...
God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness
and has given us a place with the saints in light.
You have received the light of Christ walk in this light all the days of your life
All: Shine as a light in the world
to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The minster leads us in a final blessing
Wherever you go, God is sending you
Wherever you are, God has put you there;
He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who indwells you has something He wants to do,
through you ,where you are.
Believe this, and go in His grace and love and power.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all those you love, today and always. AMEN
Want to dig deeper?
This Sunday, we are going to explore some wonderful ancient poetry that JOYFULLY celebrates God’s creativity, as well as God’s WISDOM, as we dig into the Biblical Hebrew book of Proverbs,
And that seem appropriate, too, for a baptism. Because this book was collected together to impart Wisdom from one generation to another – parent to child.
Either before or after the session, you might like to dip into these videos
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An overview of the book of proverbs, unpacking the genre and helping us read it well
2. a beautiful visual commentary on the passages we’re using this week
Highlights from some previous Wild Church sessions
