March 18, 2012, 10:20 Worship
Welcome:
Today we welcome Tony, Cindy and Marcus Tang who present Michelle Xinyi Tang to be dedicated to the Lord. We welcome their friends and family members present today.
When we gaze upon a baby, we are touch by the divine. A baby has soft skin and no blemishes. A baby hasn’t learned to be defiant and all you want to do is to hug her just like how God likes to hug us as his beloved children. The Psalmist declares that when God created us in his own image, we are divine and made a little lower than the angels.
Michelle was born on Christmas Eve last year and she was the greatest gift anyone can ask for in a season of giving and receiving. As the angels hark the herald of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, Tony, Cindy, older brother Marcus and their whole family were celebrating and hark the heralding of the the birth of Michelle. When we are created just a little lower than the angels, our hearts are lifted up when we see her smile and her eyes are like that of an angel.
When we dedicated Marcus a few years ago, you wanted him to become a famous basketball player. Now that he has Jeremy Lin as his hero and mentor, you are now more confident that he will succeed—another up and coming Jeremy Lin! For Michelle, you have many hopes and dreams for her too—an artist like Mai Lin, a lawyer like Paul Fong, a golfer like Michelle Wie, a tennis player like Michael Chang, a doctor like David Louie. As Tiger Parents for Michelle and Marcus, I’m sure that they will both become upright people.
Whether Marcus and Michelle become famous people when they grow up will be up to them and the decisions that they will make. But what we can do as parents and a church family is to care and nurture these children to know God. We prioritize our time so that we would have time for these precious ones. Developing strong bonds between fathers and daughters and mothers and sons are special and divine. We teach them and model in real life for them on how to live as Christians in both word and deeds. And when it’s time for them to decide to believe in God, we pray that they will also choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
When Michelle is created in the image of God and made just a little lower than the angels, she has many gifts to bring a smile to your face whenever you see her. She will become the person God has planned for her to be.
Ritual
To the Parents:
In presenting Michelle to God, do you promise that through the grace given you and in partnership with this church, you will teach her the truths and responsibilities of the Christian faith, and seek to lead her 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 she 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 Michelle, “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 her to you. Give to these parents your special graces of insight and love that under their guidance, Michelle Xinyi Tang 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 her with food for the spirit to nourish her through the years of growth and maturity. With gratitude for this child we dedicate her, their parents, and ourselves, to the end that her life may be a blessing to you and a service to humanity. Amen.