Silver Cliff Part II - The Question

Life is an adventure when you are seeking to follow Christ in obedience.

Friday night after we had settled in at the rendezvous site near Silver Cliff, one of the camp leaders approached me carrying a candle lantern for light and looking a little timid.

He said, "Each year we have something special here. For the last two years we've had weddings. And this year there is a family who have been waiting till dad came home from Iraq to get their little boy baptized. Pastr, could you do a baptism at church on Sunday? They just moved into the area and haven't found a church home yet. They really want to haver their child baptized at a rendezvous, and it seems perfect, since this year we have a parson in attendance, and dad is home."

Gulp.

I immediately thought of Questing Parson and a few of the RevGals and wished they were in attendance. Is there a Lutheran...a Methodist...an Episcopalian in the house?
Uh, I mean, in the group...in the meadow..somewhere? Oh dear.

I gently said that Assemblies of God pastors do not baptize infants. He looked confused, so I briefly explained that their are two main schools of thought on baptism. We dedicate babies to the Lord in a special ceremony, and we baptize those who, later on, decide to follow Jesus Christ as savior. "Oh, fine," he said. Just dedicate him, and then baptize him."

Hmm. I saw that my doctrinal fine points had escaped him. Consternation...and then...the still small voice of--the Holy Spirit? "Baptise him." Uh...God...is that You? "Baptize him."

I took a deep breath. "I would be honored to do that. I'd love to. I'd like to talk with the parents though." "Wonderful!" he said, with a big smile.

Next day I wished for my computer. I do not know how to conduct an infant baptism. What to do? "God, why is this happening, dang it!" Then it was clear. Do what the man had said. Dedicate him and then baptize him.

I then wished for my little black book of clergy necessities. Another deep breath. I settled down with my notebook, Bible, pen, and solitude. I wrote, and it flowed easily. I looked up scriptures and found them quickly. Something was happening in me--a kind of joy.

I joked to my husband, "Don't tell _________." (Our presbyter.) We decided that on Sunday morning Ken would preach and I'd do the baptism and we'd share the other parts.

It is midnight. I'll share the rest tomorrow. Yawn...