Matthew 3:13-17 Common English Bible 

13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. 14 John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?” 15 Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. 16 When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. 17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”

20 years and I still remember. Kneeling at Miami FUMC. I close my eyes and remember the water hitting the top of my head and rolling down my back. The hands that were laid on me felt like my weighted blanket that I use from time to time. And though I did not hear an audible voice claiming me it felt like the vibrations of an audible voice claiming me. I will always remember my baptism. 

I remember in Oklahoma City at Chapel Hill UMC when our Church family agreed to support Laura as we baptized her. We needed to hear that we were not alone in this journey of raising our child to follow Jesus. 

I remember holding Emily’s baptism with my mother over my right shoulder with a huge smile on her face.  

I remember baptizing my nieces and nephew in our Native American regalia that my mother had made all of us on Native American Sunday. 

I remember the Sunday that when we invited the Church to remember their baptism the women who was well seasoned in life saying, “now was the time.” The congregation was shocked because everyone assumed that she had already been baptized. 

I will remember the Sunday I went down to Camp Egan with a group of people to baptize a man who wanted to be baptized in a creek. 

One of the things I love about this Sunday in the Church is the chance to remember our baptism. 

So what do we do with those who have never been baptized or were so young don’t remember? I always make the invitation to come a create a memory and maybe now is the time to come and be baptized because the water is fine.