June 17, 2007
Welcome
We welcome Eva and Arlen Ung who brought their newest son, Noah Steven Ung, born on March 23, 2007 to be dedicated to God, the maker of all things and the giver of life. In doing so we follow the way of Jesus who said, “Let the little children come to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”
Chris O—Godmother; Herman Wan—Godfather; Grandparents George and Nancy Chen and Ellen Ung
Meditation Thought
Eva and Arlen, it’s a real joy for me to have the privilege of participating in the dedication of your fourth child, Noah to the Lord! God has blessed you with a house-full of children and we as a church family are now also blessed to having your children run up and down the staircase just like you did when growing up at this church!
Naming this child Noah will instantly connect people to the Noah in the Bible. Like the Biblical Noah, your Noah may become a shipbuilder, perhaps a zookeeper or a captain of a ship. We will have to wait and see. God believed that Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation and walked with God. We want your Noah to be the same. We pray that he will walk with God by his side all his life and that his friends will see him as a righteous and honest person. Who knows, your Noah may also be called by God to save all of humanity with all the talk about global warming these days! But I think what is more significant is that every time you see your son, Noah, he will no doubt remind you of God’s promise to humanity that never again will every living creature be destroyed and that we are to be fruitful and multiply. What an awesome responsibility that I have placed on Noah and on you as parents! But isn’t that what we hope for from all of our children? We bring them into this world because we trust in God’s promises for blessings and abundance. We know that God will not disappoint us.
The Biblical Noah was told to build an ark of cypress wood; three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. I know that you just finished rebuilding your house but I wondered if you built it 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high! That doesn’t really matter as long as there is enough room for your children to come through the front door two by two! One of your hopes is that your children will grow up as loving and supportive sisters and brothers as they are sisters and brothers in the Lord. Living in your ark in Millbrae will surely bring them together to know and love God!
When Jesus was old enough, his parents brought him to the temple for purification. In our Chinese American culture and Christian community, we introduce a new baby into the world a number of times. First, the parents show pictures of their newborns right after delivery. We have a red egg and ginger party. They come to the church nursery for the very first time and all of the Nursery helpers fight to hold them. We make a big fuss over their first birthdays. We have a baby dedication worship service like today. In each of these occasions, the baby is unaware of what’s going on. For pastors, we just hope that the babies don’t cry.
But the real reason why we introduce children into the world is to hear the promises and commitments from the parents, the family members and all of their friends that they will bring this child up in the teachings of Christ. Just as Mary and Joseph provided the right
kind of family life to prepare Jesus for his God-given work, you as parents have this sacred responsibility too.
In the life of the church and especially here at FCBC, we have a responsibility too. No longer is this child just a new baby for these parents but today we know him by his given name, Noah Steven Ung. From this day forward, we will pray for him to grow up, mature in faith in God by providing him with nurture, instruction, and love that comes from God. When we make our commitments, we make them seriously and with the help of God, we will help fulfill God’s plan for this child’s life and purpose in the world.
Ritual
To the Parents:
In presenting Noah 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 family of this child and members and friends of this church, accept the responsibility, together with the parents, grandparents, 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 the baby, “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
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, Noah 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.