A Baptism That Pledges a Congregation to Protect Creation

At Mayflower United Church of Christ in Minneapolis, we went through an intentional process of revising our liturgical language for baptism to reflect our commitment to care for creation as an expression of our caring for the child being baptized and future generations.

In reflecting upon the act of baptism, Team Lead Minister Rev Sarah Campbell wondered if what we don’t hear so clearly, and that we should, is the place of water in this ritual. The miracle of life-giving water and the miracle of this child are linked. This ritual doesn’t just use water as a tool, it acknowledges the holiness and the interconnectedness of the human and the earth and its waters. In ritual, we don’t spell everything out, we let our minds leap… amniotic fluid, the Mississippi watershed and the creek just one block from our church, our northern geography of lakes, the water we bless beloved bodies with after death, and so much more…. In this ritual, we have the opportunity to be conscious of the “I-Thou” relationship with the water, rather than “I-It”. 

While few changes have been made to the baptismal ritual through the years, as it should be, Sarah further wondered whether we should include in the promise made by the congregation in the baptism something that conveyed the following sentiment, but in different words: “We love you more than you can ever imagine and we promise, we promise, we promise that we will do everything within our power to save this mother earth and her waters for you and your children and your children’s children.”     

Our congregation’s Earthwise Team received and welcomed the charge to revise the baptism ritual. Earthwise reviewed the current ritual focusing on the Congregational promise. After a half dozen drafts, they ran a draft by several deacons, received thoughtful, prayerful, loving advice, and produced the following amended congregational promise:

CONGREGATIONAL PROMISE

Minister: Will those who are able please stand, as together we pledge our love and support?

People:  We covenant with you on behalf of your child/children. We rejoice in the hope and love which she/he/they represent/s. We unite with you to labor and pray for their/her/his spiritual growth, that he/she/they may know and trust the goodness of God. Because we, as a community, care deeply for this child/these children, we pledge to do everything in our power to heal and protect God’s earth and its waters for this child/these children and future generations. On behalf of the whole church of Jesus Christ, we welcome her/him/them.

This enhanced Congregational Promise was well received and now forms part of baptismal practice.

Dwight Wagenius serves as Community Minister at Mayflower United Church of Christ in Minneapolis, Minnesota.