[Faith-talk] sacrament of baptism

[Ericka]

Interesting question Ashley. I too was baptized as a child or should I say infant & don't remember anything. I do have the baptismal outfit – it was purple – that I wore and the certificate. I'm assuming my parents have pictures somewhere. Since babies don't die like they used to I much prefer to call it a dedication and then have people baptized at confirmation time. But I guess the point of confirmation is too reaffirm the promise your parents made for you as children. The first is your parents promise to teach you and I immerse you in God's word so that you believe and can affirm this for yourself after study as a teenager. I guess you could say I was sprinkled as a baby. I think what they really do is take a handful of water and gently put it on the head of the child and let it run down their face. They do this three times for the Trinity of course. I have to respect my two sisters who have kids. They have not gotten their children baptized and each for different reasons.  At least if these kids are baptized they are doing it for the right reason when they get older. I don't like it when parents baptize then never go back to church. They're not lying to God or to anyone else.

When I was I believe a teenager I was dunked. There was nobody else there but a friend of mine and a couple of people from her church of Christ. The baptismal font was behind the chancel where the pastor preached. And I think I had a swimming suit on or something and then change back into clothes. afterward. I know it was summer but I don't recall. To be perfectly honest, I didn't feel different. Maybe because I didn't feel comfortable in the church itself. Basically the only people who talked to me were my friend whom I've known forever and another friend who joined the church at summer camp and has never left it. My friend who was raised church of Christ left it for a nondenominational church where her kids thrived. I had a hard time getting answers out of congregation members of what they really believe and why. They seem so fellowship centered and never did much for the community which bothered me. This was a small congregation. The only place I really felt at home was in the Lutheran Church. I tried a lot of congregations: episcopal, Catholic, presbyterian, nondenominational. All of this in college because I believed Sunday was the Lord's day and I was willing to go with anyone willing to drive or walk with me. I learned a lot from Wednesday nights at the ecumenical campus ministry center as well. I don't think I would have survived college without the ecumenical campus ministry center. So as you can see, i've been baptized both ways and unfortunately don't remember either one. But my entire life has been filled with prayer, song, scripture reading, and reflection through poetry besides my volunteering. Every day is a marvelous experience with the Lord beside me and I have learned so much from all his children whether they are Mormon, Jewish, agnostic, Catholic and so on. Oh though you may not know, Catholic but the small C stands for universal – the universal church. The universal Christian church that is!  Thank you for all being a part of God's great big family and that includes Brandon and Christine as well BTW. I remember you too from the past and you always have had interesting things to share about your search for truth. So glad you're back!

Ericka Short
& her 6+

> On Jun 28, 2017, at 5:37 PM, Ashley Bramlett via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Most active Christians are baptised at some point. Many Protestant denominations such as the one I was raised in perform it on infants, during a teenager’s confirmation if they were not already baptized, and for new members of the church. 
> 
> Some churches do it with sprinkling and some are doing it via immersion in water.
> Being an infant, I do not remember my baptism but I have heard stories of it. It was special with family there and like all infants, I was carried down the aisle for everyone to see after the baptism.
> 
> If you remember yours, what was it like? What did you do with your cane or guide dog while the action was taking place?
> 
> For baptisms in church services, the congregation says something about promising to support you in your journey or for infants that they will raise the child in the church. I’ve felt left out of that congregation response. Its in the hymnal or the bulletin. I did have a braille hymnal at my childhood church. However, the volumes of braille were so big that I could only take the volumes of the pages for which I needed.
> I did stand with everyone though and listen to it. I have low vision but do wish I could see the baptisms and the people they do it on especially the infants who are so cute.
> 
> 
> Ashley
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