Pastoral Notes for the Baptism of the Lord 2025 E

The Baptism of the Lord marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. The readings for the day remind us that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises through the prophets. The prophets tell us who and how the Messiah will be when he appears. John understood that Jesus would bring about another baptism, not simply of water, but of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit hovering over Jesus is the same Holy Spirit who will come upon the apostles after the resurrection at Pentecost, similarly initiating their public ministry. Yet, the setting of Jesus’ baptism is a moment fraught with tension. The people are wondering if the fiery John is the Messiah. Remember that the people were anticipating a messiah more like a war leader who would free them from Rome’s subjugation. Political tensions were very high at that time. The ministry of Jesus will transcend the politics of the moment and focus on the reality of the Kingdom of God.

Call to action

The Baptism of Jesus should remind us of the saving and empowering action of our own baptisms – even if we were merely infants when we were baptized. The same Holy Spirit, in fact, the whole of the Trinity, has come to dwell in us through this saving action. But the indwelling of the Holy Trinity in us is not passive and limited to saving our own souls. Our baptism is also an empowerment to proclaim the Kingdom of God in a time similarly fraught with tensions! We accomplish this by trying to live good lives, proclaiming the Lord’s goodness to others, and inviting them to be one with our faith community. Pastoral leaders can remind parishioners of this message by using their GC Smart Text and Email Tools to send messages of encouragement, ask for prayer intentions, and remind the community of significant events. Also, now is the time to follow up with your visitors who made a gift or gave you their contact information over Christmas. This follow-up can be done by email or text, though a phone call from a parish staff member or volunteer might be best!

Pastoral Action Points

1. People know their own birthdays and the birthdays of their loved ones, but few know the date of their baptism, especially if they were baptized as infants. Ask your people to do a little exercise and see if they can find the date of their own baptism. It will help them remember the meaning of their baptisms!
2. Is your Church using Digital Wallets as another option for donating? You can learn about GiveCentral’s Digital Wallet availability here: https://www.givecentral.org/digital-wallets .
3. Be sure to follow up with your Christmas-season visitors who made a gift or gave you their contact information! The best practice is to follow up with a personal phone call from a member of the parish staff or a volunteer. The next best thing is to follow up with an email or text message thanking them and inviting them to come to your church again.