At the Wine Before Breakfast community this Easter we have celebrated our first Baptism and also the Reaffirmation of Christian Faith. While the liturgy for the Baptism followed the rite in the Anglican Book of Alternative Services, we followed the Baptism with a liturgy for Reaffirmation that was drawn from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Colossians was taken as the catechetical text for our Lenten Study Group. Rather than make this more generic, we have reproduced the liturgy here as it was celebrated in our community, keeping the names of the participants. This litany was written by Brian Walsh. Feel free to take this and adapt it to your own purposes, with due acknowledgement.

Reaffirmation of Christian Faith

Brian                  Sisters and brothers,
as we have just witnessed the baptism
of our sister Tian;
and as we have joined her in renewing
our own baptismal vows,
so also do we come together to witness
the reaffirmation of Christian faith
with our brother, David, and our sister, Ruth.

Marcia                  Through reaffirmation,
Ruth and David mark this time,
this place,
and this community,
on their journey of following Jesus.

Brian                  Ruth and David,
hope is not an easy thing.
Do you embrace the hope of the gospel,
and seek to bear the fruit of this gospel
in your lives,
even against the odds?

Ruth and David                  I do, under God’s mercy.

Marcia                  Do you hold on to Jesus,
the image of the invisible God,
the first born from the dead,
the reconciler of all things
in heaven and on earth?

Ruth and David                  I do, by God’s grace.

Brian                  Do you receive Christ Jesus as Lord,
and will you continue to live your lives in him,
rooted and built up in him,
established in the faith,
and overflowing with thanksgiving?

Ruth and David                  I do, with God’s help.

Marcia                  Renewed in the image of God,
and in the fellowship of the saints,
will you seek to be clothed in
compassion, kindness, humility,
meekness, patience and forgiveness?
Will you bind it all together in love?

Ruth and David                  I will, with the support
                                    of my sisters and brothers.

Brian                  And will you let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts,
and the Word of Christ to dwell in you richly,
so that whatever you do, in word or deed,
will be done in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him?

Ruth and David                   I will, with this community
                                   as my witness.

Brian                  Brother David, may the Holy Spirit
who has begun a good work in you,
direct and uphold you in the service
of Christ and his kingdom.

You have received rich gifts in the Lord.
I charge you to employ those gifts
for the coming of God’s kingdom,
and to complete the ministry
that you have received in the Lord.

 Andrew                  David, I sign you with cross,
anointing you with oil,
to mark again that you are Christ’s own forever.

David                  Amen, thanks be to God.

Marcia                  Sister Ruth, may the Holy Spirit
who has begun a good work in you,
direct and uphold you in the service
of Christ and his kingdom.

You have received rich gifts in the Lord.
I charge you to employ those gifts
for the coming of God’s kingdom,
and to complete the ministry
that you have received in the Lord.

Andrew                  Ruth, I sign you with cross,
anointing you with oil,
to mark again that you are Christ’s own forever.

Ruth                  Amen, thanks be to God.