Baptism

Less than one month after my birth, I was baptized. On September 28^th, 1986, my parents had me baptized into my home church by the Rev. Raymond Fraval. While I was too young to have a memory of the event itself, I know that it has effected both my Christian upbringing, faith journey, and call to ministry.

One might ask why my parents chose to have me baptized so early, to which there are two main reasons. The first reason was just practical in that there was going to be a baptism performed on that day. I was baptized with the largest baptism class in the history of West Side United Methodist Church with twelve infants and children were initiated into the Household of God. In a real and mysterious way my baptism with these eleven other people has sealed our personal community. I have traveled through many other milestones and life experiences with this group – Sunday School promotions, birthday parties, conformation, and high school and college graduations, to name a few. We are known in the church for our special bonds and deep friendships that continue to this day.

Second, my parents strongly believed that with my baptism they were asking the congregation to be an active part of my upbringing as a piece of their family. Prior to my baptism Rev. Fraval came to my parents apartment to discuss what baptism meant for both him, as the pastor, and each of my parents. He then verbally walked them through parts of the service and the basic theology of baptism. The part that stuck my father the most was the congregation’s commitment to help raise their daughter as they state that they will “nurture these children in Christ’s holy church, that by your teaching and example they may be guided to accept God’s grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly, and to lead a Christian life.” My home congregation has ethically and socially lived out this promise time and time again as a collective body and as individuals as they have helped my parents and extended family raise me in a Christian home and Church. They taught me how to articulate my faith through the sharing of their own faith journeys, including triumphs and struggles; they nurtured my love for the holy Church by teaching me the theology behind the liturgy in simple terms from an early age to ensure there was meaning behind my words and actions.  

But this is only my story of baptism - What is your story? What does baptism mean in your life?