![]() The sacraments are God's way of reaching out to us and participating in that children's game of "show and tell." As Jesus spoke of breaking and sharing his life for the world, he showed us around a table in an upper room. So the font is more than a place for crying infants and beaming parents it is a visible symbol that calls us each Sunday to remember the covenant in which we live out our lives. Our baptism into Christ marks us for life and can remind us each Sunday who we are and to whom we belong. ![]() The water of the font provides the church with a similar opportunity. "What are you eating," he asked, "and what sound are you making?" Then the lion who had been raised by lambs looked at his reflection in the quiet water of the stream and understood for the first time who he was and whose he was. The visiting lion stared at the adopted lion in disbelief. The adopted lion remained alone in the meadow, responding to an unconscious urge to stay. In fact the young lion was quite happy with his sheep family until one day a lion's roar interrupted the peace of the meadow and sent the entire flock running for the hills. Soon the lion learned to eat grass and to baa like the lambs around him. John Westerhoff retells the delightful story of a baby lion who was found and raised by a flock of sheep. But I believe it's important for churches in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition to have the font out front every time they gather as a worshiping community. After all, we know where to find it when we need it. Some people might argue that the location of the font is irrelevant. Pulpits are prominent and tables apparent, but fonts are often pushed over in a quiet corner where they disappear into the shadows. It's a game I continue to play as I travel through the Reformed Church as a denominational staff person. In every town we visited, I would stand in the doorways of churches and cathedrals and try to locate the pulpit, the table or altar, and the font. ![]() The question arises out of a game I developed some years ago on a trip through Europe. Indeed, most of us know where the communion table is. Where is the baptismal font in your church? None of us would have any difficulty locating our favorite pews, or the pulpit for that matter.
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