Baptism - May 2007

I am standing here today because my daughter Angela had accepted an invitation to a friend’s baptism several years ago, liked it here at Burlington and stayed. Jenny, when looking for a new Church Family followed Angela. Jenny has invited me numerous times, but I came mainly on special occasions and high days, preferring to go with the ramblers or to make such things as furniture which helped me to relax.

 

I have always found a very friendly, pleasant and welcoming aura here.   Later, when invited to the Church Weekend at Letton Hall, I found a similar atmosphere. It follows you around, and I thank you all very much for this. However, something in my life was still missing.

I was brought up in the Sunday School, Lifeboys and Boys Brigade. I was a warrant officer in the Boys Brigade for a number of years. It was on an Ipswich Boys Brigade Battalion Parade that, if my memory is correct, I was sitting up there in that gallery.

 

At that time I had accumulated a head full of biblical stories and events, but to me some lacked coherence and reality. I had plenty of unanswered questions. Being a quiet person I didn’t attempt to sort these out for myself. I also found an invisible barrier between the youth organisations and the established Church folk.

 

Having a mathematical brain, English was far from my best subject and I found King James’ translation heavy going and it was left on the shelf.

I do go into things deeply, too deeply some would say, covering all aspects of the subject at the same time. I question every point from all possible angles; and with plenty of ‘what-ifs’. Jenny is to be congratulated for putting up with it! 

I do thank Jenny for almost 38 years of marriage. We married in Felixstowe at Maidstone Road Baptist Church, where Jenny was a member, and I attended Jenny’s baptism there. We have brought up a daughter, Angela, and a son, Michael, who now lives in Warwickshire.

 

Starting work as a design draughtsman in heavy engineering this ‘questioning in depth’ served me well, as all components had to be proven fit for purpose against failure which could lead to serious injury to users. 

The advantage of my procedure was that my managers, who preferred the simple approach, tended to keep their distance and left me in peace to get on with my work.

 

The disadvantage was that I didn’t find the answers I was looking for, and spiritually drifted through life.

This doesn’t mean that at difficult times I didn’t try to turn to the Lord in prayer. I am sure this has helped me in my discussions with Jenny in sorting out the right path to take in the difficult choices and situations we have faced together, as hind-sight has since shown. The icing-on-the-cake came last year when Angela called the L’Arche Community here in Ipswich ‘her home’.

About twelve years ago my work changed, and going deeply into things is now considered an asset. The members of these particular project teams showed mutual respect for each other, and worked flexibly and harmoniously together – something I find here in this Church. This has resulted in a huge gain in personal confidence. 

 

When Burlington Baptist Church planned to visit the Holy Land a few years ago a solution became apparent. Unfortunately, this tour had to be cancelled.

Later, Jenny heard that Chris and Lindy Hill were to lead a Bible Tour on my 60th birthday and ‘official’ retirement; although in the end I did carry on working for a further year. This Tour was exceedingly positive and extremely well organised. Chris Hill and his Team are experienced masters at putting across the significance of both historical and Biblical events in a non-stop flowing manner. 

 

I suppose my transformation occurred gradually during this Tour as I was trying to take it all in. However, a memorable point occurred after a dinner whilst the ladies were having a health and beauty evening. I wandered down to the water’s edge to ponder over what the Tour was meaning for me.   There, the Sea of Galilee was so calm and the atmosphere so peaceful. Finally, I ended up at the refreshment hut on the shore where I met Chris and we sat down together with a drink before the rest of the party arrived. Together we all experienced the nightfall descend over the lake.

I am grateful for this opportunity to have visited Israel, and Jenny and I have booked again to go on Chris and Lindy’s 71st public Tour of Israel next October. There is simply too much to take in on just one visit.

About a year ago, I was deliberating on being baptised in Israel. Then, flicking over the channels late one evening I was confronted with the view of the tourist baptism site on the River Jordon. The traditional baptism site is in private hands. Further upstream it showed a couple of discharge pipes leading into the water from recently built villages – which left me deeply unsettled. On the very next Sunday Simon, whose sermons speak individually to us all, spoke of the importance of the local Church Family, and the real solution became clear. 

 

For the last year and a half I have been busy researching the environment and history surrounding the places we had visited in Israel. Initially, this was to establish a good footing and to help organise my 1400 photographs, but it went a lot further than that and Jenny’s job-list just gets longer!

 

I am grateful to the Contact Group for asking me to give two slide show presentations, and to the Women’s Fellowship for a very pleasant afternoon. My introduction also included the importance of new archaeological discoveries, some currently being excavated, that are continuing to prove the authenticity of many Gospel events.

 

For me, this “In the Footsteps of Jesus” Tour was essential, and I feel the foundation I need is now in place. 

For my 60th birthday Jenny bought me the latest edition of the New Living Translation Study Bible. I am probably a ‘late developer’ as I now find this Bible edition hard to put down.

 

Today, my excuses couldn’t possibly apply as there are now plenty of modern language books available, and I have bought several. I thank you for all your encouraging comments that I have received recently. They show that there are plenty of people in this Church that can also help. If you have any hang-ups, please don’t leave yours for 40 years. Have a quiet word with Simon or Claire early on. From my experience they really do become more difficult to resolve the longer they are left. 

Friends, will you now imagine as I relive the moment standing on that mountain side, 900 feet above and overlooking the Sea of Galilee, close to where Jesus taught his disciples. I am listening to a reading from Matthew’s Gospel of some of the closing words that Jesus told His eleven disciples - the Great Commission:

 

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   NLT