Huxley's Baptism June 28, 2015

Gabe asked his long time friend Hardy Bodenhemier to be Huxley's Godfather and Katherine asked her long time friend Chrissy Auger to be Huxley's Godmother. They both traveled to Idaho to be a part of the service.

The baptism took place at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Ketcham. 

Hardy's wife Ellen and friend Brian Sullivan came for the Baptism too. 

On the Friday before the Baptism, the Supreme Court of the US ruled that marriage equality for all is the law of the land. The sermon at St. Thomas's Church that day delivered by Reverend Mullins, a visiting minister, was perfect for this group. His message was that all of the changes taking place in the world are Jesus at work expanding love in the world. Later that week, the Episcopal Church nationwide announced that they would conduct gay marriages as religious services in their churches. There was much cause for celebration.

I wrote a special blessing or statement about the role that Hardy and Chrissy will play in Huxley's life:

On the occasion of the Baptism of Huxley Stephen Schroder 

June 28, 2015

Offered by Huxley’s grandmother, Patricia Schoene

Baptism has a long history dating to Biblical times. It is a ritual cleansing, some believe to rid a people of pagan beliefs, some believe to rid us of original sin and the forces of evil. But it is also an initiation into a particular activity or role. 

Gabe and Katherine have asked Hardy and Chrissy to be the Godfather and Godmother for Huxley Stephen Schroder because Hardy has been Gabe’s friend since they were boys and Chrissy has been Katherine’s friend since they were girls. Traditionally, Godparents are to support and participate in the spiritual upbringing of the child. And in the truest sense of those words, that is what Gabe and Katherine are asking of their friends. 

Today this ceremony is an initiation into a new role for Hardy and Chrissy. And for Huxley, it is an initiation into the joy and wonder of life (something that he is well on his way to knowing already).  Both Gabe and Katherine chose their dearest and oldest friends to participate in this celebration and to make this commitment because they have experienced so many of the joys of their own lives with them. They trust these friends to share in the challenges and rewards of raising this boy to love life and to love all of human kind, to love his neighbor as himself.  As a part of Huxley’s extended family, Hardy and Chrissy will teach Huxley to embrace the wonder of learning, to know the satisfaction and exhilaration of doing everything from riding a bike, to skiing down a mountain, to reading a book or writing a story, to sharing both laughter and tears with a friend, to offering comfort and solace to someone in need. Gabe and Katherine trust that their friends will help them teach Huxley to know the ecstasy of loving every one as a part of his family, and embracing every day as an opportunity to be the best day ever. This is the spirit of this event, this is the spirit of love.   Alleluia   Amen

Huxley Stephen Schroder