No Wipeout, instead a perfect day
On Sunday, October 12th we had our annual beach Eucharist. We met at Beasley Park, a public beach with a nice pavilion and restrooms on Okaloosa Island between Ft. Walton Beach and Destin. We set up near the water and this year made an altar out of a cross we use on Good Friday set on some saw horses (not seahorses). Last year I baptized two amazing teenagers in the Gulf, full immersion as you know. This year I had an adult lined up for baptism, she has been attending for over a year and really wanted to be baptized in the Gulf but had a family emergency and was out of town this weekend. In the last several weeks I had a new adult visiting by herself who came up to me and said she felt moved to be baptized at this service. We had a nice talk about it, some pre-baptism instructions, and I agreed to proceed. Let’s call her Sally (not her real name). She is a very sweet person who has been through a LOT, seems to me Jesus would have gone through with this also. That was my prayer, anyway..
Soooo we gather on the beach for our 10am service, with baptism as the program and IN the program, but no Sally. So, I just decided to proceed and renew vows and see if anyone wanted to be dunked as a symbol of their renewal of vows (what can it hurt, I am clear this is not a re-baptism, but it can be meaningful). Just as I was about to begin my off the cuff sermon, I saw Sally coming down the steps from the pavilion, dressed in a wedding gown, train and all! I sent the person who volunteered to be her sponsor (she knows her well) to sit with her and make sure all was well and help her during the service (and help me in the water – with my recent shoulder surgery I was a little concerned about dunking someone and not being able to lift them up after!). We had a large turnout for the service, and there were a good many people around us just enjoying a day at the beach, the water was amazingly beautiful and during the entire service, there were dolphins playing in the water directly behind where we set up!
Sally and her sponsor joined me in the water. My wife, Jennifer, suggested I invite everyone to come stand right on the shoreline to better see and hear (her suggestions are usually really good ones, this one for sure!). Before walking into the gulf, I asked Sally if she was ok getting this wedding gown wet or would she prefer I just pour some water on her head. She immediately responded, “oh yes, I WANT to get this wet, I have good reason!”. So, she was baptized, fully immersed in the sparkling clear waters, and came up crying and thrilled. Our people were very gracious welcoming her into the family of God, bridal gown and all! And everyone kept commenting that a pod of dolphins were playing in the Gulf the entire service! I think they knew something was up!
We then prepared for communion, and I invited any of the beach goers nearby to join us if they wanted to. Well…someone did. I didn’t see all this going on but one of my parishioners spotted a woman standing in the back, crying, and knew something was going on with her spiritually. She made sure the woman knew she was welcome to receive communion. She got in line and as I gave her the body of Christ, she was crying big tears. I didn’t have a clue who she was, having never laid eyes on her before. After receiving she walked over to the side and another parishioner went to hug her and thank her for joining us. The new person (let’s call her Kathy), asked my parishioner if she could be baptized, too! She had watched Sally’s baptism, and she felt drawn by something she could not explain to ask that question, crying and shaking all over. The parishioner asked me, and I said, sounds like the story in Acts when Philip was teaching the Eunuch the meaning of the Isaiah passage he was reading, and the Eunuch said, “here is water, why can’t I be baptized?”. How could I and why would I say no? We said the post communion prayer and then everyone made their way back to the shoreline as Kathy and I and my helper waded in the water (yes we sang that old gospel song as we did so – cause God’s gonna trouble the water!). We promised to take good care of her, and then she was also baptized in the Gulf. My people responded with applause and cheers as we made our way out of the water for the chrism oil and a final blessing.
We found out later Kathy had just moved to the area, lived alone, and was hoping to find a church. She happened to come to the public beach where we were for the only time all year, intending to just enjoy a lovely beach day, when the Holy Spirit showed up and took care of the rest. Sometimes folks, we must let the Spirit have her way. The whole day was amazing and Spirit filled, and people were SO full of joy! I expect to see Sally and Kathy this coming Sunday, ready to join this happy and grace filled body of Christ in real ways. What a day. YAY JESUS!