St. Boniface House

We have the privilege this morning of participating in the Covenant Baptism of Hadassah Margaret. Because this precious and holy sacrament has been so misunderstood over the centuries it is important that we be reminded that we do not believe that Dassie is saved (the way we usually mean “saved”) by the act of baptism nor that the water of baptism has any sort of magical, salvific power. (more…)

Today we are celebrating the baptism of not one, but three covenant children.  What a happy moment in the life of this family!  As is our custom on these days, I want to spend just a little bit of time talking about The Sacrament of Holy Baptism and what it means. 

Today, as with every time we participate in a baptism, we are witnessing not only an initiation into and union with the body of Christ, not only a symbolic promise of covenant faithfulness from God, not only the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Spirit, not only union with Christ in his death, not only a ceremonial washing, but also an ordination ceremony to the Royal Priesthood.  The ritual of baptism ordains those to whom it is applied to the priesthood in which all the church participates. (more…)

Dear ones, we have the very great privilege of witnessing and participating in the baptism of our sister Laura this morning.  Normally we celebrate this event with our covenant children, but the fact that we are baptizing an adult does not make it any less a matter for celebration and joy.  Before we come to the actual baptism, I want to say a few words about baptism on this happy occasion, as is our custom. (more…)

I think I mentioned when the S. family joined Trinity Covenant that I have had the privilege of witnessing and/or participating in every single one of their baptisms—an early memory of mine is of my baby sister being baptized as an infant at the Presbyterian church in Warrensburg, Missouri.  And then I had the privilege of witnessing the baptisms of Jason and his sons when we were all attending Evangel together.  And by the Lord’s grace I was privileged to be the Pastor when little Dassah was baptized.  And now here we are again.  But as wonderful as all that is, it is very, very important for us to remember that as valuable and as necessary and as delightful as our family ties are, what we have come here this morning to witness and participate in and rejoice over is the formation of a very different set of family ties.  (more…)

It is coming up on four years ago now that Amber first walked in to my Ethics class, and then just a few months after that that she took me at my word and brought her husband Kary and a gaggle of other students from Friends to our house on a Sunday afternoon for a Bible study.  I don’t think any of us could have guessed then that we would all be standing here now doing this, but I’m so glad that we are.

Today Kary and Amber are presenting their daughter, Lúthien Marie, born just six days ago, for covenant baptism, and so today little Lúthy will be received into the bosom of the church and will have all the promises of God applied to her in a visible sign and seal that sets her apart from the world and unites her to the Lord Jesus Christ and his body, the church.

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