The central theme of the font is of course 'Baptism'. Five different baptismal scenes decorate the recipient: 1. The baptism of Christ, 2. The preaching of Saint John the Baptist, 3. The baptism of the Neophytes, 4. The baptism of Cornelius (a Roman Centurion), 5. The baptism of Crato (the Greek philosopher). Each of the scenes is identified with inscriptions. The font is placed on four stones and is carried by 10 oxen (originally 12 oxen) that symbolize the twelve apostles. The unevenly sculptured soil unifies the scenes, whereas stylized trees separate them from each other.

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"About the Baptismal Font…"— by Pastor Lewis

Why is the font so big?
It's big because the Holy Baptism is big! The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is the biggest thing God does for us through the Church. Baptism is how we become members of Christ's Church, and is the beginning of our life of faith. The font is the place we are "born from above."

The Lutheran Church has been reclaiming its theology of Holy Baptism. For centuries, Baptism was nothing more than 'Christening,' a social formality that meant very little in the life of the Church. Baptisms were 'done' in private, and fonts became smaller and smaller.

With the "Lutheran Book of Worship", however, American Lutherans have gone back to our Christian roots, to reclaim the gist of Holy Baptism. We celebrate the Sacrament with prominence within our community's service of worship because Baptism is not a private matter, but a joining into the community of faith. Our new font is another step in reclaiming the prominence of Holy Baptism in our lives as children of God.


Why is it at the back of the sanctuary?

Actually, the font is placed at the entrance to the sanctuary. This is in keeping with the tradition of the early Christian Church: our forebears in the faith rightfully recognized Holy Baptism as our entrance into the church. We are made members of the Body of Christ in our Baptism. As we walk past the font to enter the sanctuary every week, we will be reminded of 'how we were brought into the Church.' Some of us may dip our fingers into the font and trace the sign of the cross on our foreheads, as a remembrance of our Baptism.


Why the three steps on the inside of the font?

The design of the font is in the tradition of the Church. The three steps on either side of the inside of the font represent the three days Jesus spent in the tomb before rising again. They also give us wonderful Baptismal imagery for going down into and coming out of the waters of Baptism—a dying and rising with Christ.


Will First Lutheran be going to immersion Baptism?

Actually, the question should be, 'Will First Lutheran be going back to immersion Baptism?' The traditional Baptism of the Christian Church through the ages has been immersion. Jesus was immersed in the River Jordan.

Practically, though, immersion Baptism will not be performed, unless someone specifically requests to be baptized in this manner. Most of the baptisms will still take place in the pouring manner.


The water in the font can recirculate, making a 'flowing' sound; it can also be heated. Why?

Water will be kept in the font at all times as a visual sign and reminder of our own Baptisms. The water can also be recirculated. Hearing the sound of the waters of Baptism lets another sense remind us of our Baptisms. The water will be heated only when there is a Baptism.
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© 1997 First Evangelical Lutheran Church
Last Updated on March 24, 1999

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Baptismal font entirely covered woth mosaics, found in the church of the priest Felix in Kelibia, where it stood in the center of a square floor in the church baptistry. 6th C. AD

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Lutheran Church of Australia: Commission on Worship Statements.
Lutheran Church of Australia: Commission on Worship
STATEMENT 8
THE LOCATION OF THE BAPTISMAL FONT
Adopted by the Commission on Worship, January 1988, after preparation by the Department of Visual Arts.

Reformatted and revised: 1 May 1998
1 Baptism is the means of grace by which we are united with Christ and so enter God;s family. The baptismal font is a reminder that God has accepted us into the church, the body of Christ.
2 The font has traditionally been placed in one of four locations, to emphasise that we entered
God’s family through baptism:
• in the baptistry near the entrance to the building
• at the entrance to the nave
• in the centre of the main aisle
• near the entrance to the chancel.
It has also been placed in front of the pulpit to symbolise the connection between preaching
and the sacraments.
3 The font needs to be placed in a position that allows the whole congregation to participate in
the baptismal ceremony. There needs to be enough space to allow the baptismal party to stand around the font with the celebrant. It may need to be raised above the general level of the floor to meet this requirement.
4 The font also serves as a constant reminder to us all of our own baptism. It can do this more effectively if it has a fixed location, even if the worship space is used for other purposes during the week.
5 The design of the font and materials of its construction can emphasise the importance and permanence of the font.
6 If the font is clearly separated from the altar, this emphasises that baptism is the prerequisite for receiving the Lord’s supper.
7 Depending on the design of the worship space, the font could normally be located in one of the following places:
• at the entrance to the church, if the narthex area is large enough to accommodate the congregation
• at the entrance to the chancel
• in the chancel area, to give its location the same prominence as that of the pulpit.

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THE ARMENIAN BAPTISM CEREMONY
One of the sacraments of our faith is Baptism.


Baptism
The Baptism service begins at the Door of the Church, proceeds to the Baptismal Font and concludes at the Holy Altar.


DOOR OF THE CHURCH
At the door of the church, the order of the service conducted by the priest is: Penitential Psalms, Blessing of Narod, Renunciation of Satan, and Confessions of Faith.

At the door of the church, the child is presented to the church as an offering and gift to God. The priest prepares a special cord called Narod, which is made up of two colored cords braided into one. The colors of the Narod are red and white, which symbolize sacrifice and purity, and also recall the blood and water which poured out the side of Christ.

With the placing of the Narod and Cross on the neck of the child, we see the action of Christ taking over the person. As the child is brought into the church the hymn Zoghormootiun ko uztoorn patz mez Der (The gate of thy mercy open unto us O Lord) is sung. Next the Godfather takes the child in his arms and he and all present shall turn facing the west (the doors of the church) and shall say together with the priest the Renunciation of Satan three times (the west is the symbol of darkness and the "side of Satan"). Following the renunciation (hrajaroom), the Godfather, the child, and all present "turn to the light of the knowledge of God." At this point the sponsor on behalf of the child professes the child’s unity to Christ, by reciting the Baptismal Creed. The conclusion of the rite at the door of the church ends with the reading of the Holy Gospel declaring the "Commission of the Apostles" followed by the recitation of the Nicene Creed.

BAPTISMAL FONT
The procession continues toward the Baptismal Font with the singing of Arekagn Artarootiun (The sun of Righteousness). Now the sacrament of immersion into the water and cleansing of sins takes place. First the priest offers a prayer over the blessed and sanctified Holy Oil (Muron) which will be used to anoint the child in holiness of spiritual wisdom, for courage to struggle and triumph over the Adversary, for strength to keep the commandments of God. The water is poured into the font, and the prayer of blessing and consecration over the water is done by the priest. With the completion of the blessing of the water, it is now anointed with the pouring of Holy Muron. The actual pouring of the Muron into the water is from a dove-shaped vessel (see ALMA for more information). The priest sings the hymn Arakeloh Aghavno (the Dove that was sent), while pouring the Muron. At the Baptismal Font the Godfather (in Armenian G’NKAHAYR) is asked by the priest what the child requests and he answers: Faith (Havadk), Hope (Hooys), Love (Ser), and Baptism (Mgrdootiun), to be baptized and justified, to be cleansed from sins, to be freed from demons and to serve God.

At this point, the Godfather gives the child to the priest, who will immerse the child three times into the water invoking the Holy Trinity - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. With the exclamation - You that have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ, Alleluia, the rite at the baptismal font comes to a close.

The newly baptized child is now ready to receive the Holy Spirit. With the singing of the hymn Aghpiur Genatz, the priest pours Holy Muron into the palm of his hand and he seals therewith the child’s forehead, eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, hands, heart, back, and feet beseeching the Holy Spirit to seal the Faith willingly accepted by the newly-baptized and to protect the child’s sight, thoughts, words, deeds, and service from the influences of evil in the world.

The baptism concludes with the child being attired in a white garment. It symbolizes the spiritual purity and righteousness for which each Christian must strive in his or her life. The child is presented at the Holy Altar in gesture of Adoration, showing complete submission and obedience to Christ. At the exclamation "With fear and faith draw near", the child is given Holy Communion, which binds us all to God and to each other, and the ceremony is completed.


In the Armenian Church the sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Communion are administered at one time.

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Model Parish Church THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM AND THE FONT

In East Anglian parishes, the baptismal font is located nearest the west end. Elevated on a tiered base, with its frequently splendid carving and towering cover, the font dominated the entrance to the church, just as the altar and its furnishings dominated the eastern end. The requirement of a cover was defined by an order of 1236. Baptism is a Christian ritual that countermanded the effect of original sin, inherited by the human race through the transgression of the first parents, Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). Water is used for the symbolic sense of ablution, washing away the stain of sin. By the 15th century the ceremony was not only a required ritual of entrance into the Christian community, but an important social function as well. The site of a mainly lay activity, baptism set up a counterbalance to the predominantly clerical celebration of the mass. Churching, (MK Ch. 82) the reception of a woman into the church after childbirth was also in the western end, at the porch of the church,. Thus the building’s function for its multiple users, lay and clerical, was apportioned geographically. (See H. Munro Cautley, Suffolk Churches, 1982, pp. 62-87; Ann Eljenholm Nichols, Seeable Signs: The Iconography of the Seven Sacraments, 1350-1544, Rochester, New York, 1994); Francis Bond, Fonts and Font Covers, New York, 1908).

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The elders of "The United House of Prayer for All People," a Pentecostal denomination with some 3.5 million members, have introduced a new and possibly very American form of baptism. The Washington D.C.-based church planned to 'baptize' some 2,000 new Christians by fire hose on a church parking lot in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 11,1998. The fire hose would be connected to the hydrant and set to a fine spray, 'to prevent injuries'. Well, John the Baptist, so we are told, had those kinds of numbers to baptize. Not having the Jordan handy in North Carolina, I suppose the fire hose is one solution.

Baptism brings up lots of questions: Not only: Do you dip or dunk or sprinkle or spray with a fire hose? But also: Do you baptize babies or believers?

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"Circumcision was not obligatory because it was a sign of the Old Covenant, while Baptism was now the sign of its renewal, in which the separation of the Gentiles and the Hebrews 'after the flesh' was being broken down, in which all could be one in the New Israel."

A friend reminded me that Baptism had become, by NT times, a rite of entry for the unclean/gentiles to enter the Covenant. How POWERFUL an image must that have been, then, for JEWS to be baptised by John in the Jordan? WOW! And the quote above is illumined by that fact too. ALL needed the "wall of separation" broken down; as we identify bodily with Christ's death and resurrection.

1. What's YOUR story?


2. What does your CHURCH do?


3. What is the most "meaningful" baptism that you remember witnessing?