The woman said to Jesus, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?"
 
Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."
 
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." (John 4:11-15)

Most times when I'm approached about a baptism, there's a parent who comes up to me and says, "I want to have my child baptized. How do we do that?" It's less common in our tradition for adults to come forward and say, "God is doing something in me. I want to find out more about what you do here. I've never been baptized. Could I be?" The answer in both cases is "Of course! Let's talk more about it."

This week, I embark on a journey with two women. These women have been worshiping here at Abiding Presence for several weeks now. They've been here faithfully every week. They've learned how to participate in the service. They've been here long enough that they have regular seats! And, the people they sit near are starting to get to know them. In the past months, maybe even years, these women have been led by God's Holy Spirit. Something brought them to this worshiping community and they want to be a part of it. Both of them have approached me asking to be baptized. And so, this week we begin to meet as a group to begin the catechetical process-the process of preparing adults for baptism.

Adult preparation for Baptism is a tricky thing. After all, God is the one acting in Baptism. We come to the living water just as we are with flaws, gifts, joys, pains, sin, and all. And God makes us one with God and with all of God's people in the water and the word. Yet, as adults who prepare for Baptism, they should know at least something of what they're getting into! After all, a life following our Lord who was crucified and raised, means that our lives are changed and will never be the same. There is a rich tradition in the church of preparing adults for the sacrament of Holy Baptism. I feel honored to walk alongside these women as they prepare to be washed with God's living waters.

God of life, we thank you today for the living waters that you use to nurture your whole creation. Send your Holy Spirit to all who prepare to be baptized. Open this community to receive more deeply those who will soon become part of the Body of Christ. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Becky
Monday June 15, 2015
Liturgical Year B: Week 29
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading: Proper06
Third Sunday after Pentecost