Above:  Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Washington, Georgia, June 7, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original Danish Text (1699) by Thomas Hansen Kingo (1634-1703)

English Translation (1909) by George Alfred Taylor Rygh (1860-1942)

Hymn Source = Supplement to The Book of Hymns (1982), The United Methodist Church

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All who believe and are baptized shall see the Lord’s salvation;

Baptized into the death of Christ, they are a new creation;

Through Christ’s redemption they will stand among the glorious

Heavenly band of every tribe and nation.

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With one accord, O God, we pray, grant us thy Holy Spirit;

Help us in our infirmity through Jesus’ blood and merit;

Grant us to grow in grace each day by holy Baptism,

That we may eternal life inherit.

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Above:  St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Snellville, Georgia, June 29, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnary (1935), Norwegian Lutheran Church of America/The Evangelical Lutheran Church

Original Danish Words (1837) by Nikolai Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation (1909) by Carl Doving (1867-1937)

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1.  Abide among us, we implore Thee,

Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Spirit breathe!

And let the babes we bring before Thee

Now be baptized into Thy death.

2.  Lord, after Thee we Christians call them,

O let them in Thy name arise!

And keep them Thine whate’er befall them,

That they may reach Thy paradise.

3.  If Thou their earthly race shouldst lengthen,

Thy faithful servants let them prove;

If few their days, their weakness strengthen,

That they may share Thy dying love.

4.  O write Thy blessed name, dear Savior,

Upon their hearts, we Thee implore;

And on Thy palms engrave this favor,

That they are Thine for evermore.

Above:  The Episcopal Church of St. Mary and St. Martha of Bethany, Buford, Georgia, February 4, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5841256415309496401/5841256496004153266?banner=pwa&pid=5841256496004153266&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Danish Words by Thomas Hansen Kingo (1634-1703)

English Translation by the Reverend George Alfred Taylor Rygh (1860-1943)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  He that believes and is baptiz’d

Shall see the Lord’s salvation;

Baptiz’d into the death of Christ,

He is a new creation;

Thro’ Christ’s redemption he shall stand

Among the glorious heav’nly band

Of ev’ry tribe and nation.

2.  With one accord, O God, we pray:

Grant us Thy Holy Spirit;

Look Thou on our infirmity

Thro’ Jesus’ blood and merit!

Grant us to grow in grace each day

By holy baptism that we may

Eternal life inherit!

Above:  St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Dahlonega, Georgia, July 14, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5900573726256533201/5900575391053106290?banner=pwa&pid=5900575391053106290&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Danish Words by Nikolai Frederick Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation by the Reverend P. C. Paulsen (1881-1948)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  Thy blessings fill our earthly need,

Thy blessing is Thy people’s meed,

The blessing from Thy hands, O Lord,

Is wine upon Thy festal board.

2.  The blessing which God’s promise here,

Was given Abraham of yore,

But not until the Savior’s birth

Its fullness was reveal’d on earth.

3.  The blessing now, like dew and rain,

Doth fall on ev’ry land and main

And to the church of Christ is sent

Through our baptismal covenant.

4.  The blessing to His church on earth

Gives at the font to man new birth

And through the bread and cup imparts

The life of Jesus to our hearts.

5.  For blessings manifold give praise,

To heaven thankful voices raise!

God’s blessing then for evermore

Shall on His church like showers pour.

Above:  The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, Confirming at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Athens, Georgia, April 14, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5866769906262350785/5867547062705427890?banner=pwa&pid=5867547062705427890&oid=114749828757741527421)

Words by Ingvard M. Andersen (1888-1980)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  Heavenly Father, Thy children are gather’d before Thee,

Grant them Thy blessing as here in Thy house they adore Thee;

To them, accord

When they confess Thee their Lord,

Peace from above, we implore Thee.

2.  Heavenly Savior, Thy hands were so cruelly riven,

That at the font to Thee might as infants be given;

Now they are Thine,

Give them Thy blessing divine;

Feed them with manna from heaven.

3.  Heavenly Spirit, Thy temples in love Thou hast made them,

Do Thou in danger from sin and temptation aid them;

For on their way,

Dangers by night and by day

Threaten for aye to degrade them.

4.  God of our Fathers, Thy children are waiting before Thee,

Grant them Thy blessing now, here in Thy house, we implore Thee:

Lest they should roam,

Lead Thou their steps to Thy home

Where they shall ever adore Thee.

Above:  The Undated Primary Document from My Great-Grandmother

Scan Courtesy of Barbara Taylor Jackson

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

My great-grandmother gave birth to two sons and four daughters.  The two sons were Randolph Winburn Barrett (1905-?) and George Dickey Barrett (1910-1989).

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 17, 2013 COMMON ERA

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1.  Jesus, Lord of little children,

Lord today as yesterday,

From Thy radiant throne in glory,

Bend to hear us while we pray.

2.  By the shores of blue Genes’ret,

On their heads Thy hands were laid,

In Thy loving arms were babies,

Nestled gladly unafraid.

3.  While their mothers heard Thee saying,

“Let the children come to me,

Such as these make up Thy kingdom,

And in heav’n my Father see.”

4.  So to Thee we bring our baby,

Praying Thou wilt bless him now,

And in the years to follow,

With Thy grace his life endow.

NELLIE SEGUIN FOX BARRETT

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Adapted from this post:

http://taylorfamilypoems.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/jesus-lord-of-little-children/

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Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, April 29, 2012

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5736960591034803825/5737388075705831234?banner=pwa)

Hymn Source = Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal (1958)

Original Danish words by the Reverend Nikolai Grundtvig (1783-1872), Lutheran; English translation by Fred C. M. Hansen (born 1888)

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1.  My Lord, I hear thee pleading

For love and faithfulness,

Thy love is far exceeding

The love that I confess;

Thy covenant will ever stand

On thy eternal promise;

I take thy proffered hand.

2.  That hand shall crown with blessing

Each lowly, bending head;

Each heart, thy love confessing,

Shall by that hand be led;

I therefore sing my praise to thee

In strains of alleluia,

In joyful melody.

3.  I praise thee, alleluia,

for what thy hand has brought!

I praise thee, alleluia,

For what thy Spirit wrought!

I praise thee with the saints above

For every mercy given,

For faith and hope and love.

Above:  The River Jordan

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The United Methodist Hymnal:  Book of United Methodist Worship (1989)

Words (1973) by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000), British Methodist minister

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1.  When Jesus came to Jordan to be baptized by John,

he did not come for pardon but as the sinless one.

He came to share repentance with all who mourn their sins,

to speak the vital sentence which good news begins.

2.  He came to share temptation, our utmost woe and loss,

for us and our salvation to die upon the cross.

So when the dove descended on him, the Son of Man,

the hidden years had ended, the age of grace began.

3.  Come, Holy Spirit, aid us to keep the vows we make;

this very day invade us, and every bondage break.

Come, give our lives direction, the gift we covet most:

to share the resurrection that leads to Pentecost.

Logo of The Methodist Church of Great Britain

Image Source = Wikipedia

Prayer Source = Elizabeth Goudge, A Diary of Prayer:  A Treasury of the World’s Most Inspiring Prayers (New York:  Coward-McCann, 1966, p. 17), quoting the Shorter Book of Offices (1936), of The Methodist Church of Great Britain

I have reformatted the text.

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O Lord God, Holy Father…

I am no longer my own, but Thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee;

let me be full, let me be empty;

let me have all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Thou are mine, and I am Thine.

So be it.

And the Covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

The River Jordan from Outer Space

Image Source = Wikipedia

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

You, who in Christ have assured redemption, hear our confession and forgive our sin.  Christ proclaims your good will toward all people, yet we pursue vengeance.  Those who mourn go uncomforted, as warfare continues in the earth.  Captives without number await deliverance while we take freedom for granted.  The afflicted await some sign of good news.  Amid the ruin of cities and the clamor of protesting voices, we confess our disobedience.  Save your people, O God, and cleanse us of our sin, for the sake of your anointed one, Jesus Christ.

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/first-sunday-after-the-epiphany-the-baptism-of-our-lord-year-b/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/first-sunday-after-the-epiphany-the-baptism-of-our-lord-year-a/