Baptism of Jesus B (January 8): Washed Clean

There is an 2023 updated version of this post - see archive at left.

Bible Readings: Genesis 1 1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 

About the Image: Left: In rural (and increasingly suburban) Australia, when the water pours out of the top of our rainwater tanks like this, there is cause for rejoicing. It means the dust is gone and all around us everything is washed clean - the very leaves and blades of grass sparkle. It also means that we don't have to worry about our household water supply for a while. This is my photo, and my tank, so feel free to use it for worship and related activities. Right: This is my photo from the front of our place at dawn (for more info visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gippsland_Lakes) with a line from the song below by Caedmon's Call. Please feel free to use this image for worship and related activities. 

Listening Song: Who You Are By Caedmon's Call on their album, In the Company of Angels (pictured at left) or on WOW 2003 . 

  Children's activity during the service: Rainsticks Have the children quietly make rainsticks as you worship - use them towards the end of the service during a reaffirmation of baptismal vows or the benediction or during a hymn or song. A rainstick is made from a tube of cardboard with a handful of rice inside with both ends sealed with sticky tape. They can be decorated any way the kids wish.

Film Clip: When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (pictured at right) There is a great scene in this film where Zachary and one of the boys discuss the meaning of baptism. This clip is readily and easily availabe at www.wingclips.com (see my links column at left) in most of the popular formats. 

Discussion: When Zachary Beaver Came to Town Is Zachary Beaver right about baptism? What does it mean for you to be baptised? Do we change when we are baptised? If so, how?

Drama: In the Beginning Found in Lets Make a Scene Too by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, 1991, ISBN 085910608X, page 7ff (pictured at left).This voice/reader drama is based on Genesis 1. 

  Drama: Someone Really Great Found in Mega Drama 3 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3), page 50-51 (pictured in an earlier blog). This puppet or people drama matches up very well with the gospel reading. 

Discussion Questions: 1.When did you first realise that the life God has given you was good and valuable, that God was pleased with you. 2. What changed for Jesus when he was baptised? 3. What changed fro the world when jesus was baptised. 4. What is the blessing for us in baptism? 5. How are we changed in baptism? 6. What is the significance of baptism for us? Testimonies: Instead of having everyone discuss the above questions, ask one or two people beforehand to prepare a three minute answer to one or a couple of the questions as part of the sermon or teaching time. An added bonus to this exercise is that it is a great way to encourage people to discover their preaching and leadership gifts within the congregation. 

Story: Baptism A modern story about baptism found at http://www.gobinumc.org/new_page_6.htm - scroll down to Case 2. 

Meditation: The Creator's Meditation By Grace Krag and found in Building Worship Together by Martha Keys Barker and the Fisherfolk, Celebration, 1983, ISBN 0906309212,page 92ff (pictured in an earlier blog). This goes very well with the Genesis reading. This reading goes very well with selected images and the following music: Grace by Moby from his album, Songs (pictured at right). 

Response Activity: Set up three stations around your worship space. Encourage people to visit all three stations but in any order they wish. 

Station 1: Have a stack of printed creeds or affirmations of baptism or your church's baptism service available. Encourage people to softly say the reading aloud at their own pace. Reassure people ahead of time that they will not be a distraction to others - they will make a gentle worshipful hum. If you really think people will be bothered, either play soft music in the background or encourage them to go outside to read it. 

Station 2: Have a sand bowl, the Christ candle and tapers available and a note of instruction in a dim part of the worship space. Ask people to light a taper from the Christ candle and sit and watch the flame for awhile remembering that just as the flame is a light in the dark, so too, they can, with God's help, be lights of hope, peace and justice in a dark world. 

Station 3: This station is very similar to the benediction activity below. Stand beside the baptismal font and as each person comes up to you, mark their foreheads with a cross and say..."Name (whatever it is) God is pleased with you." After doing this, ask them to sit in a quiet space and think about/pray about what these words mean to them. 

Benediction: Have the font near the exit (if a movable font) or have the congregation exit past the font and as each one passes, pour a little water over their hands and say their name and the words "God is pleased with you". Alternatively have people do this to each other as they leave.