Today 48 of us celebrated the baptism of McKenna R. Long, the daughter of Alexander V and Elizabeth Long, and granddaughter of Alex and Nancy Long.
Baptism is about bringing one into the Christian Community and the exchange of gifts. As was noted in the sermon "This (Baptism) is God’s great gift to us—the gift of unity, offering us God’s way of being in the world, a way that seeks wholeness through community as opposed to division, destructive power, and oppression." "… And so we bring him our gifts,our transformed hearts and our gifts of loving, healing, and serving the world in His name. "
The sermon noted how the wise men travelled home on a different route from that requested by Herod. By accepting the Baptismal covenant, we will also travel along a different road – away from Herod’s violence and strife and toward reconciliation and healing in this world.
The Long family came bearing gifts.The family participated in the service – Justin as acolyte, Laura as reader. Nancy performed a duet with Marily Newman in a series of pieces entitled "Away in a Manger Medley." Alex and Nancy invited the congregation back to their home after the service for a wonderful luncheon reception in their home with ample kinds of oriental food.
A fitting conclusion was a rainbow that appeared over the Rapphannock in mid-afternoon.
There is a photo gallery of the event. Here is the sermon and the Sunday bulletin