LIVES

YOU ARE SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN BAPTISM AND MARKED AS CHRIST’S OWN FOR EVER THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

Ihave always wanted to serve in a church that has the baptismal font right in the middle of the aisle, as it is at St. Stephen’s Church. We should all have to bump into the font on the way to our pew, because it is a tangible reminder of what lies at the center of the Christian life—our membership in the Body of Christ and our call to live out our baptismal vows each day.

By the Rev. John Rohrs

The clergy of St. Stephen’s made a recent decision to locate all of our baptismal celebrations in the context of our various

Sunday liturgies. For some time previously, we had been offering Holy Baptism during Saturday liturgies as well as on designated Sundays in the church year. This practice was in place for natural reasons: namely because we have such a large number of children (and adults) being baptized in the course of a year. But the consequence is that it had separated those celebrations from the context of our gathered worshipping community on Sundays. We have been missing the chance to embrace those families and welcome them into the Body of Christ, and we have also missed opportunities to renew our own baptismal vows—placing them back, again and again, at the center of our lives.

Jay Paul

That is why we are shifting all those celebrations back to Sunday. We will spread them out so that everyone has a chance to participate and so that it isn’t too heavy a liturgical burden on any one service. You will see Holy Baptism in Palmer Hall, at the 9:00 and 11:15 services in the main church, and occasionally at the Celtic service in the evening. They will be joyful days (if a little chaotic), and no doubt we’ll get a crier now and then. Just remember that this is the sound of new life and of faith being passed down in this place from one generation to the next. That is a joyful sound at any volume.

One of the admirable practices at St. Stephen’s Church is the explicit and unbounded welcome to share in the sacrament of Communion. We emphasize each week that all are welcome, and we place that table at the center of our worship. I am committed to continuing that practice, and my hope is that we will strive to emphasize Baptism as an equally central sacrament in our common life. Baptism and Eucharist are two sides of the same coin, drawing us into community, renewing our commitments of faith, and sending us out into the world in love. In each case, they mark us as Christ’s own. Thanks be to God!

SPRING 2023

Issue Number 46

Sarah Bartenstein, editor

Steven Longstaff, art director

Contributors: Cate Anthony, Diana Chou, Scott Finn, Dillon Gwaltney, John Jenkins, Deb Lawrence, Lydia Mercado, JoAnne Palmore, Jay Paul, John Rohrs, Fred Staley

Copyright © 2023, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia Requests to reprint material from Seasons of the Spirit should be addressed to Sarah Bartenstein at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 6000 Grove Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23226, or sbartenstein@ststephensRVA.org On