Easter Monday

Several weeks ago, Stephen, one of the students, asked me to officiate at the baptism at the church where he does his placement work; I was honored.  

As time has gone on, I’ve learned that Easter Monday is one of the big days for baptism, as is Innocents’ Day (or Boxing Day, or December 26).

Today, the dean commented that all the staff are engaged on Easter Monday.  I asked why churches look for other clergy to officiate the Easter Monday services.  I should have been able to guess the answer:  the clergy are tired after Holy Week and Easter (where there are more (and longer!)) services than what we have in the US.  She also added that the congregation is tired of their priest too, and that the change is good.  🙂

Also today, Stephen told me that there would be around 20 children to be baptized, and that the service would be in Luganda.  I will be preaching, in English obviously (and I assume he will be translating), but I will do the baptism itself in Luganda.  I told him that he needs to give me notes so I can be practicing.

Naturally, there will be a lunch after, and then he will take me to the kabakas’ (kings) tombs, which are in the neighborhood.  They were burned a couple years ago when I was a student, but the palace is still there.

All this to say that what I thought would be a quiet Easter Monday is no more, but it’s good.  Though I had hoped to foist the sermon onto Stephen, as he has been preparing the children and their parents for baptism, but the visitor always gets first dibs.  So I better get cracking:  they’re expecting at least 30 minutes from me.