Jojo's Big Day

And another weekend when I actually did something. My friends were having their youngest son christened and invited me along. Well, really, as it was at the church I go to anyway, it was just telling me, so I could make sure I was there at the morning service, as I don't always make it. Apparently, there was an actual invitatation, but I never saw that.

And so Sunday morning arrives, and I make the attempt to get up and get there in time. Thankfully, it was the night after the clocks go back, so I effectively had an extra hour to sleep-and I didn't try to push it by deliberately going to bed later. But somehow or other, I still manage to get there late. Not too late, I miss the start of the service, but I'm there for the actual baptism. Which was great. Jojo behaved himself really well, and when the minister asked him if he was excited to be baptised, he said 'yes'. Which was unexpected, but brilliant. And now it's my responsibility, along with everyone else there, to encourage him to grow in his Christian faith. So I will-as much as I can, given that I don't see him that much. However, I am confident in saying that his parents will do that job well.
Then Joseph and all the other children went off to Kidzchurch, and the service continued. The sermon, fittingly, was about evangelism, and was entitled 'You Can Do It'-the point being that God has called us all to evangelise, so He has gifted us all to do it. Well, maybe. I'm not sure I agree. I think that evangelism is a specialised task that He hasn't called everyone to. The church as a whole He has called to make disciples, and obviously evangelism is part of that-it has to be. But I don't think it makes sense that everyone has to do everything-and if there are some who are called to do just evangelism, then doesn't it make sense that there would be those at the other end of the scale as well. However, what He has called each of us to do is "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have" (1 Pe 3:14-16)-that is something to glorify Him. I could say more, but I won't just yet.

So, let's skip the rest of the service, which, you know, went pretty much as you might imagine, and cut straight to the afternoon celebration. After I finally got there-I had to make my own way there, but that's good, as I'll be going there the next couple of weekends, so now I'm confident I can find it-I met up with some friends I hadn't seen for a while. All sorts of friends, from people who moved away years ago who we still keep in touch with, to a guy who recently left to go to train to be a vicar, to Joseph's parents (who I don't get to see that often) and their parents. It was a really nice mix of people, and I did know a fair few of them-most of whom commented that I had long hair last time they saw me, so that's at least 3 years ago. And all sorts of interesting conversations-it's really good catching up with people and finding out what's been going on in their lives. Which was amazingly varied.
And, then, all too soon, it was all over. People were leaving, and going off to their various places in various parts of the country. Which was a shame. But it had to happen-celebrations happen, and then life goes on. And then we tidied up, and I went back to Jojo's house with his parents-which was literally just down the road. Which was nice. As I said, I don't get to see them that often, so that was good. A mixture of TV and chatting happened, and then the children went to bed, after Joseph's older brother reading me the story of the Jews escaping through the Red Sea from his children's Bible-and then telling me what happens next. But I won't spoil it for you. And then we carried on chatting for a bit, and then I got a lift home-with a short detour to take some stuff back. And I don't know about everyone else, but I can definitely say that it was a great day for me, and Jojo certainly seemed to enjoy it too. ;).