· CHILDREN'S EDUCATION

· ADULT EDUCATION

· EFM

· JOURNEY TO
   ADULTHOOD
      RITE 13
      J2A
      YAC

· VACATION BIBLE
   SCHOOL

· SERMONS

· CURSILLO

· HAPPENING

· RESOURCE LIST
      Chapel Library
      Recommendations

SERMONS

Parish Weekend Eucharist
Camp Bratton-Green
April 27, 2008
Rogation and Baptism

By The Rev. Sylvia Czarnetzky

[Rogation I proper:]
Deut. 11:10-5
Psalm 147
Romans 8:18-25
Mark 4:26-32

[Invited the children to come to the front of the Chapel and sit on the steps, to help me with the sermon and so they’d be up front for the baptisms.]

Today we’ve got several groups here at church. There are the folks who’ve come for the baptisms we are having today. We’re baptizing two little babies and two girls. We’ve got people here for Sunday worship from the Chapel. And there are some people who’ve been here since Friday night, for Parish Weekend.  If you’ve been here since Friday, raise your hand!

[Turning to the children…]
Let me ask you something. Since you’ve been at camp and staying in the cabins, with no distractions from television, or homework or soccer, what did you notice about the world around you?

[A couple of kids noticed all the writing on the walls and furniture in the cabins!]

What else?

[One child noticed the cricket sounds at night; another heard an owl hoot; another saw some frogs and some others noticed the two geese swimming in the lake with their three goslings.]

We should give thanks for this beautiful camp and the beautiful world God made and placed in our care. God wants us to take good care of the earth. What kind of things can we do to help?

[pick up trash, recycle.]

Now I want to talk about baptism. Today is a special day because we about to baptize two babies and two older children. Baptism is a sacrament, and a sacrament works kind of like a magnifying glass.

What does a magnifying glass do?

[several children said it makes you able to see small things close up]

Another thing that a magnifying glass does is to take the light that is already all around us, and concentrate its beam in one place. A magnifying glass takes the light and focuses it on a single place. And that’s kind of what we do with baptism – we take the grace and love that is already in this church, and for a few minutes concentrate it on these children. God already loves these children, but we take the time to celebrate that love and grace together in this place today.

One last thing. One of the things we’re celebrating today is Rogation Day, a day on the church calendar when we ask God to bless the crops and gardens we plant in the spring, and we pray for a bountiful harvest in the fall.

And the word “rogation” comes from the Latin word rogare which means to ask – on Rogation Day we ask God’s blessing on the earth, But the word rogare also means to stretch out your hand like this – so everybody stretch out your hands like this, and ask God to bless our life together, and to give thanks for the many blessingsGod showers on us every day. Amen.

Now it’s time for the baptism…