What Does Baptism Do for Us?

Baptism is our own individual entry into a personal relationship with God.

We recall God's covenant with Abraham, as we look at this basis for our life with God.

Even Jesus chose to be baptized on the Baptism of Our Lord, though John the Baptist was uncomfortable with the thought of baptizing one who was greater than he. John's bemusement immediately leads us to the central point: baptism is not about the baptized or the baptizer, but about God.

God is truly present and takes his covenant seriously, regardless of our physical state or of our state of mind.

Many mainline Christians were baptized as infants. Try to recreate the experience for your class through interviews and memorabilia. Knowing that God accepted us as infants in a life-long covenant gives us sure ground on which to base our faith.

Adult confirmands may enjoy Joanne Greenburg's short story, "Gloss on a Decision of the Council of Nicaea," collected in The Experience of the American Woman, edited by Barbara H. Solomon.

We transform the emotions of our baptisms into art, as we make our major artwork of Confirmation Instruction, our baptism books.

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