Remember Your Baptism

Page 51, UMC Hymnal

Thanksgiving  over water:

The Lord be with you..
And also with you.

Let us pray.

Eternal God:  When nothing existed but chaos, you swept across the dark waters and brought forth light. 
In the days of Noah you saved those on the ark through water.  After the flood you set in the clouds a rainbow.  You led them to freedom through the sea.  Their children you brought through the Jordan to the land which you promised.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Tell of God's mercy each day.

In the fullness of time you sent Jesus, nurtured in the water of a womb.

He was baptized by John and anointed by your Spirit.

He called his disciples to share in the baptism of his death and resurrection and to make disciples of all nations.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Tell of God's mercy each day.

Pour out you Holy Spirit and by this gift of water call to our remembrance the grace declared to us in the baptism.  For you have washed away our sins, and you clothe us with righteousness through out our lives, and dying and rising with Christ we may share in his final victory.

All praise to you, Eternal Father, through your son Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever.  Amen.

REAFFIRMATION OF FAITH:

Here the clergy will make the water available as a sign of baptism.  I find it is good to take a branch of a shrub, or cedar tree and use it to sling the water over the congregation.  Take the baptismal font pan with water, dip the tip of the branch in it, and fling it in the direction of the people you want to help remember their baptism.  I walk the isles and fling it to the left and right.  A little practice the day before the service will soon find you sending  drops of water over the congregation instead of showers.

As the water goes out say:   Remember your baptism

THANKSGIVING:

We give thanks for all that God has already given us.  As members of the body of Christ and of this congregation, we will faithfully participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

CLOSING HYMN

This liturgy works perfectly on the Sundays when we preach on Jesus' Baptism.