The Gift of Covenant

Covenant is a strange word, especially for those of us at Montecito Covenant Church. The name "covenant" carries with it historic baggage of our beginnings as a denomination, of Swedish heritage, of Chicago and midwestern roots, of a style of worship and lots and lots of coffee. For other believers, it speaks of Calvinism and Reformed theology, of rigorous thinking and logic defending the sovereingty of God, and life in this new community of the church. Many Presbyterian and Reformed churches employ the name "covenant" as part of their local church names.
But before all those uses, there was Noah. We don't know much about Noah except "he pleased God" when nobody else did. God came to Noah with a promise that he would be safe in a coming time of great flooding "IF" he would build an ark and gather his family and animals. He obeyed, built, gathered and floated. And God was good to his word and fulfilled his promise of safety and land. God made a Covenant with Noah in the sky, promising to never again destroy the earth.
The altarpiece evocatively speaks of threat and promise, of danger and safety. The tipped jug makes us uneasy; what if it would spill, flooding the chancel? The olive branches in clear vases speak of the new life God brings, glistening with crystal drops.
Directly in front of the congregation, on the floor(nave), is the baptismal font, filled not with water of flooding death but with water of hope and promise. The new covenant we have as believers is not in rainbows in the sky nor in circumcision on the body, but in life, death and resurrection of Jesus, all contained in the story and waters of baptism.
This Sunday we will baptize new members and believers and offer all worshipers the opportunity to renewl their own baptismal vows.