Happy day - in the churchyard

Oh Happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed

We used every chair we owned and every adult-sized chair the school owned to seat the congregation in the churchyard as St James joined with St Anne's for our open air baptism service at which six members of St James and St Anne's were baptised.

Here's Sarah (above), and here is John (below) and Joakim (also known as Joe). Also baptised were Nariah, Samuel, Rachel, (all under 16, not shown for safeguarding

reasons).

Tonight four of the candidates will be confirmed, alongside a further eight candidates from St James and St Anne's and two from Holy Trinity, Rotherhithe.

It was good to be out in the open, welcoming neighbours and passersby. It was good to be singing God's praise. And it was good to be reminded of  God's grace changing lives as Jesus builds his church.

The song quoted at the top of this post, The Greatest Day in History, seemed particularly poignant. It speaks of the day death was beaten and Jesus rescued us on the cross, and then it says

Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious way
That You have saved me
Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious name

 No one ever baptises themselves. It's something that has to be done to you. And that reminds us that the 'glorious way' that God choses to save us is to do it all Himself. God saves us. We believe.

We are baptised. We believe.


That's God's way and it's the most glorious way in the world. Its the way God offers a fresh start, and the slate wiped clean, to everyone who comes to him.

As we sung at the end of the service: To God be the glory!

 

St James' & St Anne's Musicians in the Portico

Joy in the churchyard

Thanks to Pat O. for the photos, and here's Tim Hughes, singing The Greatest Day