Special combined service

Today we had our combined baptismal service. Leading up to it, we had a fairly easy morning at home, although as always there is much to be done beforehand – teacups to be put out, and Nick cleared out a big section of weeds behind the church, as the people being baptised would need to walk around that way – although they didn’t end up using that path after all. Lunch was smackaroos, chips and vegetables (quite a big helping of mixed veggies, which the boys got through without too much fuss). Then it was the final preparations and getting ready etc etc. The service was really good, and very full – probably about 80 people, judging by the hymnbooks which were used. It was good to have Jean playing the organ again, and Teddy led the service so Nick could relax for the first part. His sermon was about the Trinity in salvation and baptism, and he used the chalkboard to help explain the Trinity – as much as anyone can explain GOD. It was a very helpful visual aid. Basically, he explained that there are 6.2 billion people in the world, sharing one ‘human essence’ – i.e. we have a soul, we can love, we have language, we can reason, we have the ability to create, and we can worship. These are some of the things that make us human, different from the animals. So that is one humanity, shared by 6.2 billion persons. God has a divine essence – He is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, holy and eternal. His essence is shared by three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three persons sharing one essence – the three in one, the Godhead – all three are equal, but the Son and Spirit have arranged themselves in submission to the Father. It’s a very clear and understandable explanation! After his sermon, he called up the candidates to share their testimonies (optionally) and be prayed for. It was my privilege to pray for Pam, and we had joked beforehand that she had better not start crying during her testimony, otherwise I would cry too! She managed to get through fine, but I got myself all emotional when it came to praying, so had a bit of a pause, during which time the whole congregation welled up! The people love it though – some of them who don’t regularly attend our services, come especially for the baptisms because of all the emotion. Hmm. Enid prayed for Harold and Kieran (he is only 9), and Nick prayed for Donald, who was very nervous. Nick was a bit worried that his back might give out while he was dunking people, but everything was fine! We had the fellowship tea after that, which was also fun. I chatted with Harry, caught up with Jean G, and a few others, and then it was the cleanup. Nick jokingly asked the boys if they wanted to swim – it never even crossed their minds that he might have been joking, and before you could say “John the Baptist”, Aaron was in there with his costume and armbands. Caleb followed shortly after, and Regan and Maddison sat on the edge with their legs in. Harry, Jennifer and Peter were the last ones left, and we ended up just sitting around for a while in the schoolroom, so we invited them home for another cup of tea. Ons het baie lekker gekuier. They left at about 7, and then after getting the boys into bed, Nick and I watched a few episodes of the old BBC production of the Narnia series. Compared to the latest movie-making technology and standards, it was really cheesy, but it was wholesome!