You can listen to this week’s Devotional here
Author: Chris Braudaway-Bauman
“As swimmers dare to lie face to the sky and water bears them,
as hawks rest upon air and air sustains them;
so would I learn to attain freefall, and float
into Creator Spirit’s deep embrace,
knowing no effort earns that all-surrounding grace.”
― Denise Levertov
In the center of the sanctuary of the church of my childhood, there was a panel with brass handles set into the floor. One day, after being in this church for years, I learned that underneath that panel was a deep tub that could be filled with water. Most of the time in that congregation, baptisms were celebrated at a small font near the pulpit. But because that congregation is affiliated not only with the UCC, but also to a branch of the Christian family tree where baptism by immersion is practiced, it had a baptismal pool. In all my time in that church, I actually only ever saw it used once, but it was so dramatic, I can still see that baptism now in my mind’s eye.
The pastor stepped down into the waist high water with the girl to be baptized. After promises were made and a prayer was said, she crossed her arms, took a deep breath and held it, and then leaned over all the way until the water covered her head and her face. When she was lifted back up, she was soaking wet, her hair sleek against her head, water dripping off her chin, an enormous grin on her face. She was delighted, and so were all of us who were there to witness it and add our blessing.
This same sanctuary was also the place where I spent many Friday overnights as a member of the youth group. There were no pews in that multi-purpose space. Before we arrived, the church custodian stacked all the chairs against the wall so that we could use the large open area in the middle to play games, sit on the floor in small groups, and gather in a large circle to worship. I don’t remember much about the content of our meetings, but I do remember that we talked and laughed a lot! I remember how important every member was to the group. I remember we made sure no one was left out.
On Saturday mornings while we vacuumed up the popcorn from the night before and set the chairs in rows to make the room ready for Sunday worship, deacons brought in donuts and cooked scrambled eggs for our breakfast.
We never slept much on those Friday nights, but when the time came for lights out, we laid out our sleeping bags on the sanctuary carpet. My favorite spot was on that panel right over the pool. Having seen that baptism, that’s where I wanted to lie down and rest. Surrounded by this community of faith and belonging, it all seemed connected to me – the baptism, the blessing, my youth group friends, the church, the love. I felt immersed in love, and when I went to lie down, I felt like I was floating in grace.
As we get ready to launch a new collaborative youth program on Sunday, September 10, with the middle and high school students from our church, from UCC Longmont, and from Community UCC Boulder, my prayer for all of our youth is that they get to experience something of that same kind of joy and all surrounding grace. As they share meals, play games, engage in service, talk with one another about many things, and enjoy each other’s good company, may they grow in friendship, in faith, and find themselves immersed in and upheld by God’s unfailing love.
