"DO YOU DESIRE TO BE BAPTIZED?"

Dear Friends in Christ:

In his book, Subversive Orthodoxy, Kenneth Leech suggested six marks of "redeemed communities." Such communities would be baptismal communities, eucharistic communities, communities of "biblical people," communities of rational inquiry, inclusive communities, and communities of expectation, of vision. (Subversive Orthodoxy, pages 41-43) Fr. Leech will be visiting the diocese in September; information about that visit can be found elsewhere in this issue of The Apostle.

Since the revision of the Book of Common Prayer more than thirty years ago, baptism has taken a more central place in our common life. Rarely do we find baptisms taking place as private services for family and friends only. But in spite of the frequency with which we participate in baptisms, I often wonder if we are a baptismal community of the sort that Fr. Leech wrote. Do we really understand what it means to be "baptized into the death and resurrection of...Jesus Christ" (The Book of Common Prayer, pages 252-253)? I know that I am reminded over and over again of how far short I fall of faithfulness to the Baptismal Covenant.

For my own sake, and for the sake of others who would like to join me in exploring the implications of our baptism, I will offer an eight-week course on baptism on Monday evenings, October 4-Novmber 22. The course will be based on Klara Tammany's book Living Water: Baptism As a Way of Life. Klara is the Missioner for Christian Education and Formation for the Diocese of Maryland, but began developing the material for the book when she worked with our son Matthew's godfather, Canon Don Nickerson, at Saint Paul's Church in Brunswick, Maine. Another friend who assisted her in the writing the book was the Revd Alice Jellema, who was an EFM mentor here before seminary. You can register for the course by calling the Parish Office or by signing one of the sign-up sheets that will be posted in the Church and the Barker Building by mid-September.

I believe that Fr. Leech was right in his assertion that a "baptismal spirituality would stress the continuing conflict with the structures of oppression and injustice, the continuing call to conversion, to metanoia, and the continuing availability of God's grace." (Subversive Orthodoxy, page 41) Recognizing "structure of oppression and injustice" is not always easy, especially those that have been around for so long that they seem to be a natural part of our world. Knowing how to confront them can be even harder. In a time when "structures of oppression and injustice" were very much a part of the established order of society, Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." (12:2) It is my hope that as we spend time thinking and talking about what it means for us to baptized we will experience more deeply the transforming power of God for us and will discern more clearly how God wants us to work and pray for the coming Kingdom of justice and love.

Your brother and priest,

Fr. Dan