Baptism

We all set off, down a track to a small water hole. A beautiful part of the Australian bush that made me want to sit and drink in the beauty.

The happy sound of conversations flow around me and I am content to just walk and listen. It's about 5 minutes from the main building, through the bush to the water hole. I wish it was further.

Water trickles down through large sandstone rocks, small frogs leap between the ponds that lead down to the main waterhole, wattle and gumtrees line the banks.

The water was ice cold, I caught my breath as I tip toed across a stream to find a place to stand.

There were people all around, sitting and standing around the rocks that circled the small dam. There were men, women, teenagers, grandparents and toddlers.

We sang song, without accompaniment, simple words of praise.

7 people were baptised.

I hadn't witnessed full immersion baptism before - most Presbyterians prefer the sprinkling of water. We're like that.

And I'm most use to infant baptism, where children grow up in Christian families and our church is full of people who have always known God. Our new church is reaching out to many people who have never been to church before - know very little about God until they are told. It's exciting to see adults making decisions to follow Christ and being part of a community that celebrates that.

I don't want to leave that sacred place. I would happily sit and watch the water flow for hours. I eagerly look forward to next year, only so I can find this place again. Maybe on my own, maybe with someone. There I will sit and worship my God. There I will sing songs.

You're welcome to come too. As long as you don't mind my singing, the dancing, the musing about things so much bigger than myself.

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I'm joining in with Just Write over at EO.