Welcome My Child
Looking out the window late Friday afternoon, sitting on the right side of the Rex Airlines plane flying into Ceduna, SA, from Adelaide, all I could see was the expansive stretches of dry land. I had been invited to lead worship and celebrate the baptism of Elaya Rose, infant daughter of Chelsea and Ty, on Sunday 18 May.
I met Tracey, representing St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ceduna, along with her husband Tim and son Jacob, at the Foreshore Hotel. The place was crowded with three different groups of people, one of which was a group of farmers (all buzzing with at least some forecasted rain) collaborating on how they could help one another during this extreme drought. Jacob worked two challenging jobs: one on his parents’ 14,000-acre farm helping keep sheep alive, and the other trudging through waste deep waters on an oyster farm, moving heavy oyster baskets. Oh, the gift of water nurturing all creation.
On Saturday morning, I met Ty, Chelsea and Elaya, and Elaya’s baptism sponsors. We had a great time preparing for Sunday, listening and talking about the gifts and promises of God in Holy Baptism.
At lunch in a local café, an elderly Aboriginal man sat talking with a couple friends near a ‘Happy Birthday’ greeting taped on the wall. As he and I were leaving, I asked if it was his birthday (no, it wasn’t), and so he asked what brought me to Ceduna. After my response, he shared that he and his wife, who had recently died, were from nearby Koonibba, and how grateful he was his wife was baptised, raised and buried in the ‘Lutheran religion.’
That afternoon, I visited and prayed with a couple folks – John, a retired farmer, yet still doing what he could to help on the ‘dry’ farm his son inherited; and also Del and her husband Syd. Another three or four other folks from the church came by, indeed with more conversation about the dry land. The afternoon visits also included a stop at Tracey and Tim’s farmhouse and woolshed. Driving through the farm, I got a feel for what a 14,000-acre farm looks like! The trip also included a visit to the Denial Bay Lutheran Church, with pictures of all the Lutheran pastors who have shared the Good News of the gospel with the people.
Sunday was a great day of shared worship together with indigenous friends, members from other churches in town, and members of St Paul’s, celebrating the gifts of God in Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Children came up for a short message about how God welcomes us into God’s family, naming and claiming us as God’s beloved children. We splashed our hands in the water, and flicked water droplets on one another. A bit later, more water was poured into the font using Luther’s ‘flood prayer,’ and Elaya Rose was baptised in the waters of life. She was marked with the cross of Christ, and invited to let her light shine, glorifying God.
On the flight back to Adelaide, I sat on the left side of the plane so I was still able to see the dry land. I was grateful for the 12 or so millimeters of rain it received over the weekend, not enough, yet a hopeful and encouraging beginning. I was grateful for and blessed with the gracious hospitality and welcome from St Paul’s and friends. My thanks also to Tracey and Anne from Ceduna and Denial Bay, Angela and Holly from the District Office, for helping to organise the trip.
On a date (May 18) I was baptised 73 years ago and ordained 39 years ago, I sat back in my seat, thankful to God for water, bread and wine, and for nurturing and giving new life to all. I was thankful to God for welcoming Elaya Rose into God’s family, reminding all to remember our baptism, and how God says to Elaya, and always to each of us: ‘Welcome, my child, welcome’.
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