May 7, 2023 - Fifth Sunday of Easter - Baptism of Brenda Sue Webb - One Baptism in a Season of Baptisms

Today Creator celebrated the sacrament of baptism in the midst of a season of baptisms. Each Sunday of Easter we are opening with a Thanksgiving of Baptism.

The sacramental nature of baptism involves, of course, the ritualistic washing with water, symbolizing purification and rebirth, and initiating the individual into the community of believers. Baptism is often seen as an important step towards becoming a member of a church community.

The feeling you belong at church can be an important aspect of one's spiritual life. It provides a sense of community, support, and a shared sense of purpose with others who share similar beliefs. Baptism can be a significant step in developing this sense of belonging, as it represents a commitment to the community and its shared beliefs.

Feeling at home in a church community can also be an important part of one's spiritual life. It can create a sense of comfort, familiarity, and safety that allows individuals to open up and be vulnerable with one another. Baptism can be a key element in developing this sense of home, as it represents a willingness to be vulnerable and open with others in the community.

Brenda's baptism was certainly meaningful to Brenda individually and the Creator community as a whole. The timing gave the baptism an added importance in a number of ways. First was our anticipation of this baptism. Brenda's baptism that has been on our minds and in our collective imaginations for months. Secondly, the congregation extended our call to Emillie Binja as our new pastor and she accepted while we were in this season. During the call process Pastor Emillie and members of Creator felt an instant sense of belonging together. Why did was this feeling of all of us being at home with each other so prevalent? 

Pastor Emillie recently wrote the following to Creator members by way of introduction:

Greetings to you, my siblings in Christ,

As we embark on this journey of knowing and being known, both by God and each other, may we be strengthened and enlightened by the Love and Grace of our savior Jesus Christ as witness and evidence to the light of God that shines so brightly amongst us all.

With these words she articulated an aspect of where this sense of belonging is rooted. This is why this baptism mattered, like all baptisms matter. The sacrament of baptism centers us in the person of Jesus Christ and reflects on our relationship to God, the Father.

At the heart of this Thanksgiving of Baptism during Easter we are, in essence, "practicing resurrection" together. . Listening to the water pouring into the baptismal font calls to move into a new understanding of the expressive words we use in our worship. We are remembering and unlocking baptism's power as a sacrament to move us from the idea of belonging to the community (which we have experienced with Brenda from the first time she worshiped at Creator). We moved from acting on idea of belonging and feeling at home to experiencing our relationship to Jesus, and with each other, through practice.

We welcomed Brenda today. We are welcoming other new members this coming Sunday. We will "officially" be welcoming a new pastor in July. We will be a different congregation as a result. We feel that new energy already and we can hardly wait for what's next.