I created a series of paper plates, with pictures and messages on them
Pictures were:
water, cross and a candle
Messages written on were:
• Family
• Friends
• God Parents
• Eating Out
• Out Drinking
• Birthday
• Live in Thringstone
The eating out plate was aimed at the mother as she and friend’s liked to eat out. Drinking was aimed at the father and friends. ‘Live in Thringstone’ was the village where the service was taking place
The three picture symbols allowed me to talk about the significance of the symbols, and I had members of the congregation come up to hold them up.
The message plates were handled by getting everybody in the congregation to stand up if they were connected to the baptism family by what was on the plate. Again, a member of the congregation came forward to hold the plate. The birthday one started as those having a birthday in the same month as the baby, and it was then narrowed down to same date. (As it turned out she had same date as me!)
I was able to ask after all these if there was anybody who hadn’t stood up, this had no response. So I was able to talk about the total responsibility of the whole congregation, that they were all responsible for the growth and development of the baby.
Rev Rob Marsh
