16th November 2025

Celebrating Baptism

This Sunday, we are celebrating twice over: the baptism of five children in the morning, and confirmation for two young people and two adults in the afternoon. For those of us who have been baptised and/or confirmed, it's an opportunity to look back and remember. For those of us who are not yet baptised and/or confirmed, it's an opportunity to find out more and, perhaps, the moment to hear God's invitation to us. And for all of us, it's a moment to stand alongside these individuals and families, to celebrate with them, to pray with them, to welcome them into the Body of Christ here at HTSJ.

The sacrament (the outward, visible sign of God's inward, spiritual grace) of baptism offers a beautiful picture of God's dealings with us. As I've been reflecting on baptism this week, I've noticed several things. Firstly, the absolute equity of God's invitation in baptism. The format and words of the baptism service are the same whatever our age, our background, our education, our social status. We've been celebrating our diversity as God's people over the past few weeks but, this week, we recall that, in our baptism, we are one with all God's people across time and place.

Secondly, the grace of God's gift in baptism. We cannot work for our baptism; we cannot baptise ourselves (although I've baptised a few toddlers who have tried!). In baptism, we receive the gift of the undeserved, unmerited grace of the God who loves us and accepts us despite all the ways in which we are fragile, broken and sinful. In the water of baptism, God washes us clean, and speaks over us the words he spoke over Jesus: "You are my beloved child. With you, I am well pleased."

Thirdly, the place of the community of faith. There's a reason why baptisms take place during the worship of the church, because this is not a private decision of an individual. The children being baptised on Sunday morning, the young people and adults being confirmed on Sunday afternoon, belong to this community, and will grow in faith as part of the community. Your prayers, your support, your encouragement are all part of their growth.

Because, finally, baptism opens up a whole new way of life, a life-long adventure with Jesus. Whether the newly baptised person is a few months old or an adult, the words of the liturgy commission them for service and send them out to "shine as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father". The exact shape of that adventure will be different for each person. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, calls us each by name into his fullness of life. Our task, as the baptised people of God is to listen and respond to his call. I wonder where that call will take those to be baptised and confirmed this weekend?

Thanks be to God!