Baptism - My 500 Words D12

Today in church the pastor talked about Jesus’ baptism. As she shared the story I tried to imagine how amazing the sight must have been of Jesus being baptized in the Jordan river and the clouds parting and the sun rays coming down. It must have been a sight.

As she was sharing the story I thought about my baptism. I remember it because I was maybe 6 or 7. I recall it was not during the regular service. There were only six of us and the father. It was my parents and my Godparents along with their daughter who was a baby. The baby and I were both baptized on that day. I do not remember what was said but I do remember the feeling of the water on my forehead. It was cold! I remember seeing a picture of that day. I had one a white dress, white socks and white Maryjane shoes. Thinking back, my dress was a bit short for a baptism.

I did not get baptized a second time as an adult but I did renew my faith a few years back. I joined a new church after a few years of not going to church. I found a really good fit when I joined Ainsworth United Church of Christ. It is an open and affirming congregation that focuses on social justice. I love this church because it goes beyond the word of Christ to actually working in our church and our community.

To renew my faith I had to go through a number of classes with our Pastor. There were five of us in class. There was a couple who had a daughter close to the same age as my baby girl who at the time was about one and a half. Ed was also part of our group.

I am not sure how old Ed was but I can tell you that he was about 5’ 6”, a full head of white hair (always neatly combed), he wore glasses, and he had a very thin frame. During one of our meetings Ed shared that while he was deployed his then wife lost the baby she was carrying. As he shared this story, he cried. I imagined it had been at least fifty years since the child’s passing. I learned that day that no matter how much time passes, you will never get over the death of a child. As Ed’s health deteriorated over the past few years, he still served as an usher at church. It was inspiring to see faithfulness and stewardship personified in Ed.

Ed passed away on December 25, 2014. His passing serves as another reminder of how fleeting. Sometimes you do not realize the impact someone has on you until they are gone. But, being baptized you are cleansed and have publicly committed your life to God. I was able to see Ed dedicate that last few years of his life to God. I was able to see his dedication and commitment to his faith and the Lord. The water of life cleansed Ed and now he is in the house of God. The water cleansed me and I trust my life in God’s hands. S/he has shown me love and compassion and I will continue to walk in her/his name.