Baptism Luncheon

On March 18, 1990, in honor of DD#4's baptism,  we hosted a celebratory luncheon after church.
16 adults and 12 children enjoyed the menu.

Honey Baked Ham
Peach Salad
Broccoli Salad
Steamed Carrots
Rolls

Frosted Banana Bundt Cake
Lemon Bars
Brownie Bars

Tea
Coffee

"Spending and Being Spent for Christ" was the title of Joe Morecraft's sermon expositing
 II Cor 12:11-19.  It is available online at SermonAudio.

We even have the baptism vows/charge on cassette.

What a blessing to be able to listen again to these.



PS  Still looking for more pictures of this event.

H. Baptism II

Since, Lord, to thee

A narrow way and little gate
Is all the passage, on my infancy
Thou didst lay hold, and antedate
My faith in me.

O let me still
Write thee great God, and me a child:
Let me be soft and supple to thy will,
Small to my self, to others mild,
Behither ill.

Although by stealth
My flesh get on, yet let her sister
My soul bid nothing, but preserve her wealth:
The growth of flesh is but a blister;
Childhood is health. 

George Herbert
English Poet, Anglican Cleric
1593 - 1633


Photo taken 10 April 1988
on the occasion of the baptism of DD#3

After church we (17 adults & 8 children) enjoyed the following menu at Cochise ~
Fresh Ham
Sausage-Cheese Grits
Marinated Cold Asparagus
Tomato-Artichoke Aspic
Orange Fruit Cups
Zucchini Bread

Bloody Marys or Mimosas
Sun Tea
Coffee

Potato Chip Cookies
Fudge Bars
Lemon-cheese Cake

Southern Living, April 1986

Branded:Sunday, June 8, 1958

How is our baptism to be improved by us?

The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism,
 is to be performed by us all our life long,
especially in the time of temptation,
 and when we are present at the administration of it to others;

by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it,
 and of the ends for which Christ instituted it,
 the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby,
 and our solemn vow made therein;

by being humbled for our sinful defilement,
 our falling short of, and walking contrary to,
the grace of baptism, and our engagements;

by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin,
 and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament;

 by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ,
 into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace;

 and by endeavouring to live by faith,
 to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness,
 as those that have therein given up their names to Christ;
 and to walk in brotherly love,
 as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.


Col 2:11,12
Rom 6:2, 3-5, 4, 6,11,22
I Cor 1:11-13
Rom 4, 11,12
1Pet 3:21
Gal3:26,27
Acts 2:38
1Cor 12:13, 25-27

Larger Catechism Question 167

Link to baptism posts on http://hiddenart.xanga.com/tags/baptisms/.

Links to children's baptisms.

Baptism

Sunday, December 9, 1984
















Here's a family photo taken after church on the day of our first child's baptism. I thought of it because this weekend I've been addressing Christmas cards and we included this picture that year...exactly 23 years ago.

I like to re-listen to a recording of what the minister actually said. We have audio from two of the our four baptisms. I'm not sure how/why we're missing two.

No doubt you recognize these promises:

Acts 2:39

For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.

Gen 17:7

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.

Acts 16:31

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.

Then we were asked the following questions to which we answered affirmatively:

1) Do you acknowledge your child's need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?

2) Do you claim God's covenant promises in her behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation, as you do for your own?

3) Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before her a godly example, that you will pray with and for her, that you will teach her the doctrines of our holy religion, and that you will strive, by all means of God's appointment, to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?



I dont remember much about the service after that because I think she and I exited for a feeding.

After church we traditionally had dinner together, and this Sabbath was no different. Grandma had come over from Charleston, SC, and we were living with my folks, so they were there. Usually I remember Sunday dinners right down to the very last detail, but in this case I only recall the Haagen-Dazs ice cream cake we had for dessert. Yum!

Here she is now....with her father :)















Ps 147:1 Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Ps147:11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.


What do you know about your baptism?

Baptism

This third Sunday in September is the anniversary Sunday of DD#2's baptism.

The ceremony was a part of the worship service at Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Atlanta GA where J C Morecraft III was/is the minister. Although we were living in Gadsden, AL, at the time, we had spent the previous two weeks in Atlanta visiting family, as your maternal great-grandmother had died on September 2, 1986. So, before returning home, we prepared for this special day.

You wore a beautiful white gown handmade by Peggy Schilling.
*I keep trying to upload photo here, but blogger is not cooperating*


I wore a Laura Ashley dress which I now think makes me look frumpy. A family photo was made and used in the 1986 Christmas card.

It would be neat to find a program from the service and figure out which hymns were sung and which Scripture exposited. Edit: I found a tape of the sermon delivered that day and relistened to the *Call to Constancy* based on Heb 6:9-20, part of a series.

Here's what I do know was read: three covenant promises after we had been instructed on the institution, nature, use, and ends of the sacrament of baptism.

1) For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. Acts 2:39
2) And I will establish my covenant between me and then and thy see after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Gen 17:7
3) Believe on the Lord Jesus, and though shalt be saved, thou and thy house. Acts 16:31

Here are the questions proposed to your parents, all of which were answered affirmatively:

1) Do you acknowledge your child's need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?
2) Do you claim God's covenant promises in her behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation, as you do for your own?
3) Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before her a godly example, that you will pray with and for her, that you will teach her the doctrines of our holy religion, and that you will strive, by all the means of God's appointment, to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

After the service we had a big Sunday dinner at Cochise as was our custom. There were a few extra guests. Grandma and Grandpa Jago had driven over from Charleston, SC for the celebration.

The menu was Baked Pork Chops, Rice, Layered Salad, and Lemon-cheese Cake.

June 8, 1958














This photo was taken after Sunday dinner, on the day of my baptism. There are probably a number of stories which could be told about this day, but I am going to allow the picture to speak its *thousand words.*

I do want thank my folks for their covenant faithfulness demonstrated by having me baptised as an infant. It was indeed a special time with longterm consequences.

See all the ladies wearing hats?

All the different styles of hats is my favorite part of this photo. I am the baby on the far left in the lap of my paternal grandmother. That's my older brother in the lap of my maternal grandfather. Both of those grandparents died within two years of this event.

I am named after my father (tall guy behind me) and my maternal grandmother's maiden name (seated lady front extreme right).

There are two sets of godparents pictured.

There are three sets of sisters in the picture, too.