Baptism of the Lord Sunday, which falls on January 12 in 2003, stands on the cusp between our celebration of Advent-Christmas-Epiphany and the Sundays of Ordinary Time, which focus on the ministry of Jesus. It is a perfect opportunity to focus not only on the inauguration of Jesus’ ministry, but on the beginning of our own ministry at baptism. Each Christian is called through baptism to be a minister of Christ in the world, and this Sunday presents a good opportunity to celebrate our baptismal identity and mission.

If there are people in your congregation who have been preparing for baptism, this is an appropriate Sunday to celebrate that sacrament. Linking baptism of new Christians with particular Sundays of the liturgical year (such as Easter, Pentecost, and Baptism of the Lord) reminds us that our story is rooted in God’s story. When we baptize on Easter, for instance, we focus on the way that in baptism we die and rise with Christ. When we baptize on this Sunday, we focus on the way that our baptism joins us to Christ’s baptism in the Jordan. Attending to the timing of baptism in this way helps us to see and experience the vital connection between our life and the life of Christ.

Whether or not you have candidates for baptism, this Sunday is a particularly good time to celebrate a reaffirmation of the baptismal covenant. (See the Book of Common Worship, pp. 463–477, for a full Lord’s Day Service with a reaffirmation of baptism.) After the prayer over the water, consider one of the following acts to engage people in remembering their baptism:

• Dip an evergreen branch into the font and cast the drops of water over the congregation with the words, “Remember your baptism and be thankful” (this is an ancient practice called asperges).
• Invite the worshipers forward to be anointed with oil or to dip their fingers into the water of the font to remember their baptism.
• The minister may cup her hand into the water and raise it back up, allowing the water to fall into the font with the words, “Remember your baptism and be thankful.”

These actions involve more of the worshipers’ senses—sight, sound, touch, even smell (when oil is used)—in the act of worship. Some members of a congregation may be reluctant to engage in these practices, so worship leaders need to be careful not to coerce anyone into an act of worship that is unwelcome. Others, particularly children and youth, find such practices immediately engaging and will participate with enthusiasm.

As you focus on baptism this week, consider introducing a new baptismal hymn to your congregation. You may want to enlist the help of the children’s or adult choir in this; the choir can sing the first verses of the hymn and then invite the congregation to join in on the final stanza. Here are some good choices:

• “Out of Deep, Unordered Water” (The Presbyterian Hymnal, #494)
• “We Know That Christ Is Raised” (The Presbyterian Hymnal, #495)
• “Mallaig Sprinkling Song” (Common Ground: A Song Book for All the Churches [Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press, 1998], #82). This is a good song to sing while people are coming forward to remember their baptism or following the asperges.
• “Wade in the Water” (African American spiritual, available in Gather [Chicago: GIA Publications, 1994], #583).
• “Come to the Water” (Gather [Chicago: GIA Publications, 1994], #349). This is particularly appropriate as an invitation for people to come to the font for baptism or reaffirmation; it may be sung by the congregation, the choir, or a soloist.

Additional resources for Baptism of the Lord are found in the Book of Common Worship, pp. 198–204. For more on baptismal preparation, see the Web site: www.pcusa.org/ideas.

Martha L. Moore-Keish, author, is Associate for Worship, Office of Theology and Worship. Contact her at (888) 728-7228, ext. 5332, or send e-mail to mmooreke@ctr.pcusa.org