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| "It is well with my soul" Courtesy of Kimsey McCormick DesginsByKimsey.etsy.com |
We will be baptizing Owen on Sunday, April 14th at Galloway United Methodist Church. My Dad will be coming to Jackson to do the baptism. We are looking forward to much of our family coming to town for the weekend or day. We are thrilled to be baptizing Owen at Galloway just as we did Drew a little over three years ago. Galloway is a special place for Kevin and I and we are looking forward to sharing the day with our family and friends. For those of you in town please plan to come and stay for lunch at the church. Galloway does a fabulous lunch each week following worship and it will be a great opportunity for us to share some time together after the service.
For those of you who can't make it to town, Galloway is live-streaming on the internet. So you can be a part of this special day by joining us at 11 a.m. central time. The link to the service is below.
Several of you have asked over the years why we baptize babies in the Methodist church. My friend, Kimsey McCormick via our friend Josh Woodward, recently posted the below on her blog from the Methodist church. I think it helps explain the importance of this event in the life of the Methodist faith.
Why Baptize Babies?
From the earliest times, children and infants were baptized and included in the church. As scriptural authority for this ancient tradition, some scholars cite Jesus’ words, “Let the little children come to me…for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs” (Mark 10:14). However, a more consistent argument is that baptism, as a means of grace, signifies God’s initiative in the process of salvation. John Wesley preached “prevenient grace,” the grace that works in our lives before we are aware of it, bringing us to faith. The baptism of children and their inclusion in the church before they can respond with their own confirmation of faith is a vivid and compelling witness to prevenient grace.
The baptism of babies declares something wonderful about God. God loves us before we are able to do anything for ourselves, before we are even aware of it. It is the public statement of laying a claim on the child's life for Christ. The baptism of a child formally begins the child on a faith journey that we hope one day will lead to their dedication of their own life to Christ. We are a church and as the family and friends of the child we commit to do everything in our power to raise up the child in the way he or she should go.
My Uncle Eston who is a Methodist minister in Texas reminded me that words to a song sometimes help explain it best. Below are the word to the hymn we sing at Galloway following baptism. I love these words. It will be a special day for us all and we hope you will join us in celebrating. May Owen's faith journey be one of love and faith and may Kevin and I find the grace and love to help both our boys walk in the way that leads to Christ.
Child of blessing, child of promise,
baptized with the Spirit's sign;
With this water God has sealed you
unto love and grace divine.
Child of God your loving parent,
learn to know whose child you are.
Grow to laugh and sing and worship,
trust and love God more than all.
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