Community Chat: The Rite of Enrollment — FEB 8 @ 5 or 7 PM

Register at enews@journeytobaptism.org.  Put “Community Chat” in the subject line and your name, phone number and time preference in the body of the text.  We will send you a Zoom link nearer the date of the Chat.

Bryan Hansen’s review of our last Chat:

Last October I participated in the JBL zoom conversation on the proposed ecumenical rite for what is commonly known as the Rite of Welcome or Rite of Acceptance. The proposed rite is called The Rite of Receiving Hearers. The crafters of the Rite explain the change in the introduction:

We receive as hearers those how are responding to a call to “come and hear” to discern whether and how the Spirit may be moving them toward a life of discipleship to Jesus.  At some point along the way, some hearers become ready to take on a more intensive formation in the life and way of Jesus.

Along with others in the zoom meeting, I appreciate this change. From my experience, naming this threshold moment The Rite of Welcome can confuse the seekers and the assembly. Instead of welcoming seekers to the worship of the assembly, the name and tone of the welcoming rite may seem to seekers and members of the assembly like joining the congregation. The perception isn’t helpful so far in advance of the Easter Vigil with its baptism and renewal of baptism. Also, in a post-modern age where a lot of people entertain a variety of spiritual options, committing to a congregation early on doesn’t usually fly. To receive a hearer reduces the pressure to become part of the community.

There is a good deal of flexibility in the proposed rite and the rubrics are very clear.  In this rite, each seeker is asked their name and then is asked “what are you seeking?” with the provision for having them state their desire “in their own words.” Hooray! I started this practice in the last two calls and it has gone very well. Most recently, the responses have varied from a person reciting several sentences to the simple response of “I want to sing!” By personalizing this response, the needs of the seeker are heard by catechists and sponsors and the entire assembly. It is a way to respond to seekers with their real expressed needs.

The greeting which may be done at the door of the church then moves to words of instruction for the hearer and promises made by seeker, sponsors, catechists, and assembly. The first question to the catechumen is “Do you turn to Jesus?” Great question! Later in this part of the rite, when the assembly is asked to lend their support, their response is an enthusiastic “Yes, I am ready!” It is a nice feature of the rite.

The next part of the service is the marking with the sign of the cross and then the presentation of the Bible. Both gestures are viewed as a way to help prepare seekers to hear the Word of God with the community. The next element in the rite includes the option of dismissing catechumens from the assembly. Given pastoral circumstances and diverse practices from our various traditions, making it an option seems wise.

One way the ecumenical rite differs from many others is that it occurs   during the Gathering/Entrance Rite and before the Liturgy of the Word. In the ELCA Welcome to Christ rites, the greeting and presentation of candidates occurs at the beginning of the liturgy and the signing of the cross and handing over of the Bible follows the sermon.  In our conversation last October, we applauded this change. Receiving the bible as a hearer prior to the Liturgy of the Word makes good sense. So does the signing of the Cross, as it imprints a new identity upon the hearers now brought into the company of the assembly and ready to worship with the assembly.

This rite has been constructed for catechumens (unbaptized adults). What about the people seeking to affirm or renew their baptismal vows? We spent a good deal of time in discussion around this issue. The Lutheran rites have made provision for affirmers, and this has been the practice at Phinney for years. In my experience, most people who participate in the Catechumenate come as seekers already baptized, seeking a new parish home or returning to the church after a long absence. Compared to those who seeking affirmation the number of catechumens is small. This rite is clearly for adults seeking baptism. A question we discussed in our meeting was, “how do we receive affirmers?” Michael Marchal and Thomas Schattauer, both contributors to this fine work, assured us that the topic is under discussion.

I hope many more will participate in future conversations about the proposed ecumenical rites. The JTBL team responsible for these rites deserve our deep appreciation and participation!

Bryon Hansen

JOIN US AS YOU PLAN YOR RITE OF ENROLLMENT FOR THIS YEAR.