If you attended the Extravaganza last January, this resource may be familiar to you! It was revised and put together by Rev. Peter Heide in consultation with the rest of the Disability Ministries advisory team. We offer it here to share with our friends and colleagues who may wish to explore the Thanksgiving for Baptism from a lens of disability. It had quite an impact when Rev. Peter Heide and fellow team member Anita Smallin shared it with the assembly at the Extravaganza, and pray that it can be shared well in your communities, too.
Thanksgiving for Baptism
The assembly stands. The presiding minister invites all to make the sign
of the cross +, the sign marked at baptism.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God,
the fountain of living water,
the rock who gave us birth,
our darkness and our light, our life and our salvation.
Amen.
The presiding minister addresses the assembly.
Joined to Christ through the waters of baptism,
we are clothed in God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Therefore, let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
Water may be poured into the font as the presiding minister gives
thanks.
We give you thanks, O God,
for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters
and by your Word
you spoke the amazing diversity of the world into being,
from darkness you brought forth light in rainbow colors,
from darkness you brought forth varieties of seeds and trees,
from darkness you brought forth animals of every size and kind,
birds of the air and fish of the sea.
And lastly, from darkness,
you brought forth humanity in your own image,
of all colors and in many sexual identities,
people able-bodied and disabled;
and, having called forth creation
and recognizing your image reflected in myriad ways,
you took delight and called it good.
Through the waters of the flood, you delivered Noah and his family.
By the Jabbok river, you wrestled with Jacob,
named him Israel and gave him a holy limp.
At the Red Sea, through Moses, your stuttering servant,
you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom on dry land.
At the River Jordan, your Son was baptized by John
and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By water and your Word, you claim us as your children,
heirs of your promise and hope for the world, servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of this water that sustains life,
and above all we thank you for the gift of new life
received in the many-gifted, resurrected body of Jesus Christ.
By your grace, shower us with your Spirit,
renew us in your forgiveness,
embrace us in your love.
We give you honor and praise
through Jesus Christ our Lord
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
The service continues with gathering song. As a reminder of the gift of
baptism, the assembly may be sprinkled with water during the singing.
revised by Rev. Peter Heide in consultation with ELCA Disability Ministries
Advisory Team for ELCA Youth Extravaganza 2024, New Orleans, LA