Dear Baptized Ones,

     On Sunday, we will have the privilege of witnessing Shepherd Immanuel Lee Blackman’s baptism as part of our worship service. This will serve as a visible reminder God’s faithfulness to entrust children to His church as part of His redemptive mission. We will be reminded of our calling as baptized ones to participate in the discipleship of the coming generations through prayer, hospitality, teaching, and service. As those who have died in Christ and risen with Him to newness of life, we have the joyous opportunity to be ambassadors of reconciliation in the Holy Spirit’s power in Shepherd’s life. We get to proclaim to him the glorious truths of God’s love from Zephaniah 3:15-17 which is accomplished in Christ:   

¹⁵  The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.

¹⁶  On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

“Fear not, O Zion;

let not your hands grow weak.

¹⁷  The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.  

     Join in praying for Shepherd to one day respond in faith to the truth signified in his baptism of the death of Christ that cleared away the enemies of sin and death as well as His resurrection that grants access to God’s presence. May the Spirit prepare us to improve upon our baptisms and mature further into the image of Christ through Shepherd’s baptism. May the Lord establish and bless the work of our hands in service to the Blackmans as part of our family. May Jesus’s redeeming work be applied to Shepherd’s life some day.

In Christ,

Cameron