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From the Pastor's Desk
Grace and peace to you!
What a blessing it was to worship with you this past Sunday. Many thanks to the new members for the joy and hope and gifts you bring to Hutto Lutheran Church!!
For those of you who worshipped this past Sunday, what did you think of the new member liturgy? Did it sound familiar? The new member service is an Affirmation of Baptism service. Can you think of another name for Affirmation of Baptism?
Confirmation is another name for Affirmation of Baptism. In the Lutheran tradition baptism does not need to take place multiple times – God is the one doing work in baptism and we trust that whenever that baptism took place – in whatever tradition and location – that God showed up.
At the same time we can affirm that baptism and remember that baptism as often as we would like. When we affirm our baptism we remember God’s “yes” to us, and we have an opportunity to say “yes” to God.
In the early church lent was often a time when people would learn and study about God leading up to their baptism into the body of Christ on Easter Sunday. Lent is a great time for each of us to remember our baptisms, to remember anew God’s “yes” to us, and to say “yes” to being disciples.
Have you been baptized? Do you remember your baptism? The same words that were spoken this past Sunday are in our baptismal liturgy for baptism. We were and are invited to continue in the covenant that God made with us in holy baptism:
1) to live among God's faithful people,
2) to hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper,
3) to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
4) to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
5) and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth
Have you ever thought about these promises in day to day life? I know they are not something that I think about on a day to day basis.
Have you ever had seasons in your faith that have felt stagnant? When you have felt distant from God? I know I have. I remember in high school when people began asking me questions about my faith – why was I Lutheran? Is that even Christian? Why do you believe in God? If your God is so good, why is there evil and suffering in the world?
At first I felt shame and guilt. I had just finished 3 years leading up to my confirmation, my Affirmation of Baptism. I should know these answers!!!
But one day I had the courage to admit my questions and my wonderings to those close to me. I was surprised to find that they too had questions. That doubts and questioning was not a mark of failure or separation from God, but instead the birthplace of connection and growth.
Again I find myself in a new chapter of my faith. On the other side of child bearing and after two years on leave from call. With new questions and new opportunities to grow in my own faith.
How about you? How is it with your soul? With your faith? This lent an opportunity stands before us – an opportunity to connect with God in yet a new chapter, in new ways. What might we discover about ourselves in this new chapter of our lives? What might we discover about God?
In a previous congregation a young man came to me. He had been through all kinds of struggles in his life – as a veteran he struggled with PTSD and he struggled with addition to alcohol.
But the holy spirit had moved in his heart and he was ready to start a new chapter. He came to me and asked if he could be baptized again, and recommit his life to God.
What if Affirmation of Baptism was an opportunity for each of us to do just that in each new chapter of our lives? We can imagine that we are those early Christians, discovering God anew on our journey towards Easter. Would you like to explore these gifts of discipleship from our baptismal liturgy with me this lent? At the end would you like to have the water poured over you once more as we affirm God’s “yes” to us in baptism and our “yes” to God?
Join in person and online this Wednesday at 7pm for worship as we explore the first gift of discipleship spoken at baptism, our promise “to live among God’s faithful people.”
God’s peace to you on this journey of lent and your journey of faith! And thank you for the chance to grow alongside you.
Pastor Amanda
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