I can’t wait for Sunday this week cos we’re going to baptise someone. Baptisms are always awesome – we’re celebrating new life. And this one is even more special – it’s the first one at St Clare’s on Meir Park – we’ve done them before but always in the river at Oakamoor! So we’ve got the paddling pool; worked out how we’re going to fill it and we’re ready to go. It’s gonna be amazing!

The person we’re baptising walked into church about 9 months ago searching for answers and now she’s found what she was searching for – Jesus, the awesome creator of the universe who gave up all the riches of His position in heaven, was born on earth, lived as a man and died for each one of us.

Baptism is just a step on the journey; nothing mystical or magical happens, it gives us a picture of what takes place in a person’s life when they decide to follow Jesus, the book of Romans in the New Testament explains it like this:

That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace - a new life in a new land!

Jesus died so that each one of us could be forgiven and begin a new life with Him; He rose from the dead and conquered death so that we can spend eternity with Him. He promises that He will be with us always. He gives us hope, peace, love and is a good and faithful friend.

So when we baptise someone we celebrate all that Jesus is and all that He is done – brilliant!

Oh, and if you’d like to know more about what we believe we’re running an alpha course in the autumn – it’s the perfect opportunity to ask everything you’ve ever wanted to know about God and to explore the meaning of life.