I am starting to plan for our upcoming Baptismal service. I am hoping that members of the candidate's family will come to the service, and certainly am planning my readings/sermon to reflect that hope. I have been trawling hymn/song books and now, having splashed out £65 for the privilege, Hymnquest, in search of hymns/songs to flesh out the service around the one or two items that will be chosen (not because that's all I'd allow, because that's how many are likely to be adequately significant to get chosen).
So, off I set, seeking Baptism as a theme/heading (so BPW/BHB then, though Hymnquest offers it as a theme). If one uses the more popular evangelical/charismatic books, one could be forgiven for thinking no one did Baptism anymore since the heading simply is not there. Even in Hymnquest it is mostly infant Baptism songs built on a covenant theology for inclusion of children - not quite the thing for a 70-something believer!
So here's a challenge for those decent Baptist/baptistic hymn-writers out there - write us something decent for believer Baptism please. Or, failing that, maybe think of suitable verses to add to the likes of 'Jesus calls us here to meet him' (I got as far as 'Jesus calls us to the waters' then ran out of steam!)
We will most probably be using (in addition to the candidate's choice(s)) those listed below; the last four are the 'getting changed' songs!!
Jesus call us here to meet Him (Iona)
Take this moment, sign and space (Iona)
O Jesus I have promised (J E Bode)
River, wash over me (David Brown)
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me (Albert Orsborn)
In my life, Lord, be glorified (Bob Kilpatrick)
Jesus, take me as I am (Dave Bryant)
If anyone has any useful suggestions/additions please let me know.