The Christmas decorations are being stored away. The sanctuary looks barren and dull but retains it intrinsic beauty. The candles have been removed from the communion table. The wreaths are gone from the door.

The period between Christmas and Lent is called "Ordinary Time." But there is one celebration before we settle into ordinary worship: The Baptism of the Lord. The story is told in all four gospels, but differently in each one.

Sunday, the lesson will be read from Mark 1:4-11. Like everything in Mark, the story is terse and straight forward. John the Baptist is at work in the wilderness of Judea calling people to repent. Jesus comes from Galilee to find John and to be baptized. John would prevent the baptism, "I need to be baptized by you," he says. But John agrees to baptize Jesus and as Jesus emerges from the water a dove descends upon him and Jesus hears God's voice proclaiming, "You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased."

This Sunday lends itself to another sermon in the series, "A Year with Reformed Theology." Our practice of infant baptism has an important theological message. Further, we believe that baptism only needs to be observed once. One does not get baptized into the Presbyterian Church, you are baptized into Jesus Christ and in whatever church that sacrament took place it is sufficient.

Of course, every time we celebrate a baptism it is an opportunity for all of us to reclaim our own baptism. This Sunday you will be invited to restate your affirmation of the baptismal vows. While we do not have anyone to baptize this Sunday, remembering Jesus' baptism invites us to remember our own baptism and to recommit ourselves to the ministry and mission of Jesus.

Mary Belle Yankee, the daughter of Matthew and Annika Yankee, was born on December 18.

A fire on Monday, December 28, heavily damaged the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield, MA. The fire inspector has ruled that the fire was caused by arson. The police have arrested a man who may have set the fire.

If you would like to make a donation to assist in the restoration of the church, you can use Parkway's normal donation procedures by writing a check with a notation in the memo line or click here to make an online donation, or you may make a donation through the Presbytery of Southern New England: https://psne.org/donate