This is a definition of a sacrament I heard today and (fanfares from my sacramentalist heretic friends) it is one I can buy - though not necessarily as my very long suffering friend, who shared it understands, it because she would link it to a promise that God meets us, and I haven't got that bit (yet...?).

Today God met me in Mrs Bridges Tea Rooms * in Leicester where I enjoyed a wonderful smoked salmon, avacado and various other bits baguette washed down with cranberry presse.  So that would make that a sacramental experience (which my friend would own, in theory anyway (it may not have been so for her)) if not a sacrament per se.

I'd still argue that the two rites Baptists celebrate are ordinances even if they are also in some sense sacramental (ha, I'm not giving in THAT easily!!).  I think the dicipleship. obedience, aspect is too important to dismiss, as is the case in some sacramental theologies.  (Not suggesting you do friend of mine)

I guess the truth is that its a bit of both and a whole lot of neither - otherwise we have it too neatly stitched up and cease to allow God to be God.

Anyway, thank you kind and generous friend for food for my body and food for my mind and for giving me a space where God, in you, met me.

  *  Caution though, Mrs Bridges is a wonderful place but you need real old fangled cash as they don't accept cards!!