St Gabriel’s were able to engage in a rarely-used service on Sunday as Rev David led the congregation in a special thanksgiving for baptismal vows.
One of the families in our congregation had christened their twin boys, Dominic & Henry, while they lived in New Zealand. Now making their home in Kings Hill, the service provided a chance to say thank you to God once again for the boys and to enable some of their family and godparents who weren’t able to be present in New Zealand for the original christening to make their promises.
Flanked by the boys, Rev David prayed a special prayer over a bowl of water. The family and godparents made their promises and then the entire congregation were also able to renew their promises.
Once the promises were completed, Rev David used a sprig of Hyssop to sprinkle the boys and the entire congregation! Enjoying himself possibly slightly too much, Rev David explained that it was a reference to Psalm 51 where the psalmist says ‘sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be clean’.
The boys got in on the act at the end of the liturgy, taking a turn to sprinkle Rev David so that he didn’t miss out!