Finishing a field placement with past moderator of General Assembly Rev. Dr. Hans Kouwenberg, I found myself on Easter morning with a front row seat for the baptism of seven people from two different families, and all different ages. My job was to help get folks in order and aid in handing out Bibles and certificates of baptism.
After Hans spoke about the grace of God that is expressed in the sacrament of baptism he quipped that Presbyterians have no qualms about full immersion baptism, the amount of water is not what is important, what is important is what God is doing in our lives when we are baptized.
The first to be baptized was a mother—an earnest young woman with children similar in age to mine, she talked about her experience of coming to Calvin, Abbotsford, B.C., and how she was drawn into the community and wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ and his precious gift of salvation.
Together she and her husband professed their faith and received baptism as did their two daughters. There was an air of calm assurance and hopeful anticipation among the whole family, especially the oldest daughter, who is six years old. As the sparkle of the water sounded in my ears and the little girl’s dripping face beamed up toward Pastor Hans, my heart welled with awe at the evidence of God’s reconciliation in action.
I know that baptism is something that many of us witness with tears in our eyes and deep emotions of thanksgiving for our sharing in this sacrament. Along with all of this I could not get over the ‘front row seat’ I had the privilege of occupying … it became real to me in that moment that some day, more sooner than later, I will be offered a front row seat again and again.
Not only did I let my mind wonder over the zany imaginings of just how one my size might aid in a full immersion baptism of a man the height of the one in front of me (I am 5’4″ and he is, well, tall!) … but I felt invited to someday step into the scene and let my hand be the bearer of the water that signifies our being risen again with Christ in baptism.
What a gift that moment was to me and to all of us who witnessed it. So when I am asked today about my state of mind as a fresh M.Div. graduate, I can only say I look forward to having the best seat in the house for the most important events of my sisters and brothers in the faith. I look forward to witnessing God’s grand gift of love spilled out for us, broken for us, whetting us, offered to us over and over again, growing, steadfast and never ending. Amen.
