Romans chapters 6-8

Hi Class!

This week we'll continue plowing through Romans; I'd like to spend another week in section III, touching down in chapters 7 and 8.

Thanks for the wonderful and very personal sharing about your faith journeys last week; especially the baptism stories. I think you are living in the meaning of the ritual; your various perspectives are a blessing to us all. I'm amazed by how much more I can always learn.

This week I especially appreciated Paul's metaphor associating baptism with Christ's death and resurrection -- the promise to all of us that the old sinful self can be seen as dead and buried, and our new self, responsive to the Holy Spirit, alive and well . . . and this, in spite of our continuing wrestling with our sinful nature, the way we can think of ourselves. Oops I'm "Pauling" again.

I also enjoy connecting the dots of ideas -- when we wondered why some churches have abandoned full immersion, I thought of an article I read recently about how dangerous contact with water was during the middle ages and early part of the industrial revolution in Europe. Folks had to be absolutely desperate to chance washing with water . . . which makes sense now, as horrible diseases were water-borne in that time of non-existent sanitation as we know it. No wonder the church may have used as little water as possible for baptism, especially in the blessing and baptism of infants. To me this also implies that we may in time see a return to full immersion as the preferred liturgical practice in main line churches, since dirty water is no longer a significant obstacle. I'd be glad for this to happen. Personally I'm blessed by being dunked, and needed this more than dripping. But it's all good.

FYI United Methodists accept any baptism which was administered in the name of Jesus Christ, regardless of how much or how little water was used. And we're flexible in how we administer it, as well. I have applied sprinkling, pouring, and full immersion as a pastor. Best one ever was on a freezing day in a hot tub. Also a story of the most amazing transformation of a life, ever.

I'm also remembering how an American Baptist pastor friend of mine once said, "There's nothing wrong with a United Methodist that 40 inches of water won't cure." : )

See you Sunday!

Pastor Dan and Laura

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By the way we're still looking forward to having co-teacher Laura back with us. Still battling post-surgery infections and such, but she's a fighter & with your prayers and new meds we're hopeful she'll be back up and operational soon.