Joy in the prison

It was a bumper service at St James today with two families bringing their babies for baptism, another family coming for a thanksgiving for the birth of child, the launch of the Archbishops' Week of Prayer, with special greetings to Connell and Bukkie, there for the first time since the birth of their twins, and Florence and Tim, to be married in St James on Saturday.

For the sermon we acted out the dramatic events of Acts 16 (left): Paul and Silas in prison, singing hymns; the earthquake and their chains falling off; the terror of the jailer when he thought that the prisoners had escaped; and the joy that comes to the prison when he, and his whole family, believe and are baptised.

We sang hymns with Paul and Silas; thanks to the wonder of the internet, we heard the deep rumble of an earthquake; two children, representing the apostles were imprisoned behind the communion gates (- and later set free); and half the church chanted the jailer's question, What must I do to be saved?, while the other shouted back the reply: Believe in the Lord Jesus and youi shall be saved - you and all your family.''

On a day when two families had brought their children for baptism, it was good to be reminded that God is concerned for families, that the promise to the jailer wasn't just to him, but to his whole family, and that the crucial thing they had to do to be saved, was to believe in the Lord Jesus.