Thanksgiving for Baptism Rite

A rite of Thanksgiving for Baptism for use at the beginning of worship.


THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

The ministers gather at the font. The presiding minister scoops water from the font and makes the sign of the cross.

In the name of the Father,
and of the + Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

People of God, in the baptismal waters
you traveled with Christ from death to life.
Your past, your sin, your failure, your doubt,
           are drowned and gone here.
Your fear, your confusion, your self-righteousness, your despair,
           are washed away by grace.
Your pride, your hypocrisy, and other people’s opinions of you
           no longer define you.
The Spirit lives and moves through you now,
           a great and joyful mystery,
so you may bring love and mercy into the world
           as the body of Christ.
Rejoice that God has claimed you
in this baptismal grace,
           my fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus,
not by your own doing or believing
but by God’s mercy alone.

As we begin worship
           we give thanks to God for the gracious gift of baptism
           that joins us together in Christ by the Spirit’s power.
And all God’s people said:  Amen!
Amen.

Water is taken from the font and the assembly is sprinkled with water during a hymn.

Comments

  1. Thank you so much for this and permission to use it! Here's what I did with it:

    P: People of God, in the baptismal waters we travel with Christ from death to life. Our past, our sin, our failure, our doubt, and our shame are drowned and gone here.
    C: You, O God, wash us clean.
    P: Our fear, our confusion, our self-righteousness, our despair -- ALL are washed away by grace.
    C: You, O God, wash us clean.
    P: Our pride, our hypocrisy, and other people’s opinions of us no longer have the power to define us.
    C: You, O God, give us new life.
    P: The Spirit lives and moves through us now, a great and joyful mystery, so we may bring love and mercy into the world as the body of Christ.
    C: You, O God, give us new life.
    P: Rejoice that God has claimed us in this baptismal grace, not by our own doing or believing but by God’s mercy alone.
    C: You, O God, give us new life.
    P: And so, as we begin worship, we give thanks to God for the gracious gift of baptism that joins us together in Christ by the Spirit’s power. C: Amen

    Pr. Jess Harren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a great adaptation of the posted liturgy into a call and response form. I am planning a special worship service for the end of the month and would like you permission to use this thanksgiving for baptism liturgy as you have adapted it. Thank you.

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    2. Thanks for your comment. Feel free to use as you like. I appreciate attribution with mention of my web site.

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    3. I'm helping to plan worship for my synod's assembly in a few weeks, and we'd like to use this adaptation for the thanksgiving for baptism as well. We will provide attribution and your URL. May we use it? Thanks!

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    4. I would also like to use this, particularly Pastor Jess Harren's adaptation and will credit you both.

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  2. I'm working on something to fit after our Palm procession - something that doesn't spoil the mood, but doesn't make light of sin and death, either. This seems to hit the spot. Nicely done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would like to use this Baptismal Right, as adapted by Pr. Jess Harren, for worship as we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. What should I use for attribution? Blessings, Light & Life!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for this. This is what we did so it had a more call-and-response vibe about it.
    P: People of God,
    in the baptismal waters
    you traveled with Christ
    from death to life.
    C: Our past, our sin, our failure,
    our hopelessness, are drowned and gone here.
    P: Your fear, your confusion,
    your self-righteousness,
    your despair, are washed away by grace.
    C: Our pride, our hypocrisy,
    and other people’s opinions of us
    no longer define us.
    P: The Spirit lives and moves through you now,
    a great and joyful mystery,
    so you may bring love and mercy into the world
    as the body of Christ.
    C: We rejoice that God has claimed us
    in this baptismal grace.
    P: My fellow siblings in Jesus,
    not by your own doing
    or believing
    but by God’s mercy alone.
    C: As we begin our time together
    we give thanks to God
    for the gracious gift of baptism
    that joins us together in Christ
    by the Spirit’s power.
    P: And all God’s people said:
    c: Amen!

    ReplyDelete

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