Church bells and churchwarden pipes, Why we baptize babies, The word "catholic," Who can take communion
Pastor Jake's Notes for December 12, 2024
Church bells and churchwarden pipes
As I type this, the bell in the clock tower of First Church just struck 6 PM. I am sitting in front of the hearth in the parsonage, which we had swept and sealed, so it’s safe to burn wood in it for the long winter ahead.
Last week, I said to myself, “This is the perfect spot for a pipe,” and so I dug out my old churchwarden pipe and fired it up.
A fire in the hearth, church bells, and a pipe. I can close my eyes and imagine it’s two hundred years ago, or perhaps even two hundred years from now. One can contemplate continuity and spans of time in all directions rather seamlessly in a place like this.
Why baptize babies?
This Sunday, we will baptize Connor Tremblay. You may wonder why we baptize babies, since they cannot, on their own, make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
St. Paul answers the question this way in 1 Corinthians 7:14:
“For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.”
As it is they are holy.
See how strong the faith of just one person can be? The unbelieving husband is consecrated by his wife, the unbelieving wife by her husband.
Article 4 of the Savoy Declaration of Faith, the standard of the Reformed Faith as adopted by Congregationalists in both Old and New England, says this:
“Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized, and those only.”
The scriptures that Savoy cites to back this up are: Genesis 17:7, Genesis 17:9, Galatians 3:9, Galatians 3:14, Colossians 2:11-12, Acts 2:38-39, Romans 4:11-12, Matthew 28:19, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15, 1 Corinthians 7:14.
We will be praying this Sunday that Connor grows up to “own” the faith being professed on his behalf. That’s what Confirmation is all about.
The word “catholic”
While preparing the church bulletin for this Sunday, which includes the baptismal rite, Maria, our church administrator, pointed out that I had used the word “catholic.”
That’s because the baptismal rite usually includes a recitation of the faith professed by the person being baptized, or on behalf of the infant. You’ll note that Savoy requires that to baptize an infant, one or both of the parents must be believers.
Well, what do we believe? The Apostles’ Creed is a good and ancient profession of faith. In it, there is the line, “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church….”
Wait. Catholic?
Catholic is a mashup of two Greek words. Kata, meaning according to, and holis, meaning the whole. So kata + holis = catholic, according to the whole.
The Church of Rome does not have a monopoly on the word catholic.
What does the whole church believe? See the Apostles’ Creed for a good summary. That’s why it’s included in the baptismal rite.
Still, Maria and I thought it would be a good idea to substitute the word “universal” for “Catholic” in this Sunday’s bulletin, since not everyone will have read this letter.
Who can receive Holy Communion?
That question has come up more than once since I’ve arrived. Regarding Communion in general, First Church’s by-laws are rather quiet, stipulating only:
“Communion shall be celebrated at such regular dates as the Board of Deacons shall determine and on such special occasions as may be voted by the Board of Deacons.”
That said, the service we’ve been using since I got here begins:
“Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort.”
From that we can deduce the following:
Be repentant. If you are actively involved in a sin and do not intend to stop, refrain from taking communion until you can at least say in your heart, “I want to stop [name the sin].”
Be at peace. If you have something against your neighbor or you know your neighbor has something against you, you should refrain from taking communion until you’ve made peace with him or her (Matthew 5:23-24).
Have faith. If you’re not yet a believer, I think it would be best not take communion.
Let me also add these words from St. Paul, found in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29:
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.
Christmas Eve at First Church
Join us Christmas Eve at 5 PM for a service of Lessons and Carols. No service Christmas Day.
The Installation of Pastor Jake Dell
Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 1 PM for the installation service. Pastor Scott Harris of Grace Bible Church in Wappingers Falls, New York will preach. Pastor Harris and his wife, Diane, have been good friends to Pastor Jake and Sasha, and we are honored to have him preach at the installation.
