Power of Presence

After the pomp and circumstance of Christmas, Baptism of Our Lord Sunday can sometimes get overlooked. Whether that’s because babies always steal the show or worship planners are tired and on vacation during the first two weeks of January, the remembrance of Jesus’ baptism can get overlooked as we conclude Christmas and start looking forward to Lent. So, let me make a plug for observing Baptism of Our Lord Sunday, not just preaching about Jesus’ baptism, but centering the worship service around the connection between Jesus’ baptism, our baptisms, and our baptismal identity as the Body of Christ. In fact, this is a critical point that Baptism of Our Lord Sunday shows us—baptism isn’t solely about cleansing us from sin. Baptism is about initiation into community with God and one another, and Jesus shows us the way into this community through his baptism.

Visually, this is a wonderful Sunday to emphasize water literally and symbolically. If you include the liturgy for Reaffirmation of Baptism during the service, make sure congregants have opportunities to hear and touch the water during the liturgy and when they come forward to remember their baptism. Include flowing blue fabric or floating candles on the altar to provoke thoughts and feelings of water. If you use screens during worship, you might try including a soft video of flowing water during the call to worship or the pastoral prayer. Music can also help give a sense of water. Some congregational songs include “Wash, O God, Our Sons and Daughters” (United Methodist Hymnal 605), “Wade in the Water” (The Faith We Sing 2107), “When Jesus Came to Jordan” (United Methodist Hymnal 252), “Testify” (NeedtoBreathe), and “Water, River, Spirit, Grace” (The Faith We Sing 2253). Instrumental music, like piano and flute, can also provide a sense of peace, serenity, and belonging, especially if the music references familiar hymns and heart songs. These are all ways to invoke multisensory experiences that connect the congregation to the story of Jesus’ baptism and to our stories as members of the body of Christ of all times and places.