[Magdalen] Suzie and Center Aisle

[Jay Weigel]

In the Lutheran church I attend, the baptismal font is up front on the way
to the communion rail and always contains water. Many people (not all, but
certainly all the misplaced Episcopalians!) dip their fingers in the font
and make the sign of the cross on their way to communion.

On Mon, Jun 29, 2015 at 2:35 AM, Sally Davies <sally.davies at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thanks for sharing, that was lovely.
>
> I was struck by the comment about making the waters and grace of baptism
> more visible in  our churches - such a simple point but so relevant.
>
> We are very far from the "here is some water, why can't I be baptised"
> question that is the climax of my favourite story in Acts. Instead, baptism
> involves an entire fal-de-rol, a special service, and I guess for an older
> catechumen, a process of teaching first. It's just not available to people
> in the same way that Communion is.
>
> Even my Pentecostal friends whose chuch makes a huge deal of adult baptism
> and performs a lot of them, has to prepare a great big baptismal bath and
> set up a service for that purpose.
>
> Perhaps our churches should have an inner courtyard with a fountain or
> water pool, like the house churches of the early Christians that have been
> excavated in Asia Minor.
>
> Sally D
>
>
>
> On Monday, June 29, 2015, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I was a bit overwhelmed by the power of Susan's message.  How wonderful
> > that she was the one to be there for that young lady.  Grace and Sophia
> was
> > there -- indeed it's hard to say where it was not.  The grace that called
> > that lady to make her bold move. The grace imparted to Susan in the
> immense
> > privilege of being the one to answer that call.
> >
> > We are used to an economy of scarcity, but the divine economy is one of
> > abundance, like the loving mother who opens the screen door of her back
> > porch and calls all the kids in for milk and cookies. And the cookies and
> > milk will never ever run out.
> >
> > I don't understand the Eucharist at all, and am beginning to realize
> that I
> > shouldn't worry about that. It's still there. Period.
> >
> > James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
> > except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> >
> > On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 11:55 AM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com
> > <javascript:;>>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I have just finished reading and commenting on Susan Buchanan's opinion
> > > piece in Center Aisle, the Dio. of Virginia's General Convention
> > > newsletter. It is beautifully written and makes a strong case for open
> > > communion. I commend it to you:
> > >
> > > centeraisle.net
> >
>