September 2023
Dear Friends of St. Mark’s,
Baptisms are one of the most exciting events to happen at churches. Whether the candidate is a child or an adult, we rejoice that a beloved child of God enters God’s sacred family - the Church. The Sacrament of Baptism is a total gift from God, initiating us into the faith, and every baptism reminds us that God knows us intimately before we know God.
God’s grace can never be earned; it is always a complete gift from God. This is why I especially love infant baptisms. Infant baptisms show us how God is alive within us from the very beginning of our lives. As parents nurture the child in the faith, the child discovers how God has always been a loving presence. This is not to downplay adult baptisms, but infant baptisms are very special in how the grace of God may be correctly understood - as something we never earn, but as something we are always receiving throughout the stages of life.
This year’s stewardship theme is Receiving God’s Grace, Giving with Gratitude. It is the story of how each one of us was chosen by God, baptized by the Church, and called to respond to God’s abundant grace. When we are baptized, we are saved by Jesus Christ. Whether infant or adult, we go to the cross with Christ, and we share in the resurrection of new life. Baptism saves us from death, and baptism shows us the way to live by God’s grace. This is why we are always ready to baptize anyone who desires to follow God. Baptism is the difference between life and death.
Even though I was baptized as an infant, I remember my baptism intimately. My parents told me about my baptism so much that I actually remember it. I have a vivid picture of the day in my mind, and this has always been the case. From that baptismal memory, there has never been a time in my life when God has not been with me, sharing abundant grace with me. My whole life I have known I am saved and loved, and because of that grace, I can only give back to God generously and with gratitude.
Later this fall St. Mark’s will conduct a stewardship campaign. Before that happens, the Evangelism and Discipleship Ministry invites everyone to remember their baptism and to ponder how the grace of God has changed your life. On Sunday, September 10, after the Solemn Mass, everyone is invited to a special aloha hour - a Sundae Sunday Celebration. Stories of grace will be shared while eating ice cream together. Do not miss it, because it is going to be classic St. Mark’s!
Blessings,
Father Paul Lillie +
Rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Honolulu
