This celebration of baptism and of the Spirit’s work in our lives is interspersed with the verses of “Breathe on Me, Breath of God,” which can be found in the PC(USA) Glory to God Hymnal, no. 286. 

When we remember our baptisms,
we remember how we were created:
how God breathed life into our lungs,
and knit us together in our mothers’ wombs.

We remember that we can be born anew,
with God as our father and mother,
with love as our DNA,
with grace as our heritage,
and justice our family business.

Giving thanks for the Spirit’s work in our lives,
let us sing the first verse of Breathe on Me, Breath of God.

Breathe on me, Breath of God
fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what thou wouldst do.

When we remember our baptisms,
we remember that we promised
to turn away from sin and evil in the world,
and follow Christ instead.

We remember that we are forgiven,
always and completely,
and as often as we need it,
so that we are not stuck in the quagmire of sin,
but free to do—even imperfectly—what God asks of us.

Giving thanks for the Spirit’s work in our lives,
let us sing the second verse of Breathe on Me, Breath of God.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee I will one will,
to do and to endure.

When we remember our baptism,
we remember water,
but we should also remember fire,
because the Spirit comes to us that way too.

To live in the spirit
is not all sweetness and light.
Sometimes it means taking the blazing fire of God’s love–
a love that cannot abide injustice, oppression, cruelty–
taking it and making it part of us.
Sometimes our baptism calls us
to take our tired hands and feet into the world,
and set it afire with God’s truth.

Giving thanks for the Spirit’s work in our lives,
let us sing the third verse of Breathe on Me, Breath of God.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
till I am wholly thine,
until this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.

When we remember our baptisms,
we remember that we do not belong only to ourselves,
that we are not isolated or unconnected,
but that we belong to God and to each other.

The water dries, but the truth lives in our skin:
that nothing in life or death can separate us
from the love of God through Jesus Christ.
That by the Spirit we are more than clay,
more than dust,
that we are God’s Beloved.
And shall be forever.

Giving thanks for the Spirit’s work in our lives,
let us sing the final verse of Breathe on Me, Breath of God.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity.

We remember our baptisms,
and we give thanks.
Amen.