April 12, 2015
Today we have the joy of welcoming Dylan Alexander Yeh into the world! Born on September 24, 2014, he joins his two older sisters, Emma and Julianne along with his parents Bernice and Erwin and of course two grandparents present today, Warren and Magdalene Lee.
For a while, a family of two children has been the norm. But in recent years, having three has now become the new normal. I heard that with three, you no longer can fit into a typical sedan but you now need to move up to a van. You used to have two sets of laps for the girls to sit on but now with three kids, you are blessed to have grandparents’ extra laps. You were able to pass down Emma’s outgrown pretty dresses to Julianne but I suspect that in time, Dylan won’t want to be dressing up as a princess anymore when he would rather go snowboarding with his Dad.
Parents who have three children choose to become the new normal because of their love for each other and they want to express that love in their children. Bringing into the world your third child is like the third rail of a subway track—it’s live with electricity! We pray that Dylan will continue to light up your family with his smiles and that like that third rail will energize his sisters to love him as he grows up. We hope that as siblings, they will grow up having a strong bond just like the three rails that are needed to have a subway system running!
In the Bible, Jesus teaches us in his parables about the true meaning of life. We tend to believe that getting ahead with more status or more money or more power is important. But when Jesus said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (John 20:16), it humbles us to always be thoughtful of one another and to be conscientious of who we are and what we have. I believe that when Emma and Julianne save the best piece of pie for Dylan and Dylan learns that he is not entitled to an extra portion just because he is the youngest and a boy that he will grow up in the Lord. Just like Jesus, we pray that Dylan and his sisters will “increase in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor” (Luke 2:52). We pray that Dylan will choose a path in life that is guided by the Holy Spirit to use his gifts and talents to make a difference in the world as well as to bring joy and happiness to his family who loves him very much.
Now after all of this attention and activities today, we pray that Dylan’s mother would also be granted her wish that he would sleep through the night so that Bernice will get some badly needed sleep!
Ritual
To the Parents:
In presenting Dylan Alexander Yeh to God, do you promise that through the grace given you and in partnership with this church, you will teach him the truths and responsibilities of the Christian faith, and seek to lead him into a living relationship with Jesus Christ?
Parents: We will.
To the Congregation:
Do you, the loving church family of this child and members and friends of this church, accept the responsibility, together with the parents, grandparents, godparents, aunts and uncles, to teach this child that he may be brought to full maturity in Jesus Christ? If so, will you signify your acceptance by saying, “We will.”
Congregation: We will.
Don holds Dylan, “God bless you and keep you. God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you. God look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.”
Presentation of Certificates and Roses
This certificate will remind you of the commitments you made here today. This rose, a universal symbol of beauty and God’s wondrous creation represents your child made in the image of God himself.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, even as Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to your house that he might be consecrated to your service, so these parents have brought this little one to this house of worship, that among your people they might present him to you. Give to these parents your special graces of insight and love that under their guidance, Dylan Alexander Yeh may grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with you and all people. Grant that we your people may truly be a household of faith to this child, providing him with food for the spirit to nourish him through the years of growth and maturity. With gratitude for this child we dedicate him, his parents, and ourselves, to the end that his life may be a blessing to you and a service to humanity. Amen.