Baptism

This coming Sunday (Jan. 12) is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, when we in the Western Churches traditionally read the narrative of John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River, and remember our own baptism into the Body of Christ.

A few months back the new royal baby, Prince George, was baptized by Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  Before that baptism he made this video presented below, which is a nice introduction to baptism in the Anglican tradition from which we Methodists and Wesleyans also inherit our theology and our services for baptism.

Here is the prayer for Baptism of the Lord Sunday from our United Methodist Hymnal (#253), which is also borrowed from the Anglican tradition's Book of Common Prayer (1979 BCP, p. 214):

Father in heaven, at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit.  Grant that all who are baptized into his name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, One God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.