Gather at The Font - An Easter Retreat
To print, download this activity as a Word document.

For a group of 5 to 25 people. If more, break into groups of 10 or so.

You'll need:

Make arrangements to use the church or chapel, so that you can gather at the baptismal font. The font is probably full of water for the Easter season. If not, fill it. If the font has a pump that circulates the water, find out how to turn it on.

Poster board, enough to collect the pictures and words that everybody brings. (See below.)

A couple of glue sticks

An easel with a white board or large pad pf newsprint

Markers

Copies of the song " Baptized In Water " (View and print as a Word Document.)

Two readers to lead " A Blessing Prayer for Water " (View and print as a Word Document.)

Optional, but ideal:

Someone who can play the song on guitar or piano. (The melody is the Irish folk tune Bunessan, commonly know as "Morning Has Broken.")

A boom box and a CD with some soothing instrumental-only music.

Refreshments. If you can, have everyone bring Easter treats: Hardboiled eggs, chocolate, jelly beans and so on.

Before You Meet

Invite everybody to think about water and do two things:
1. Keep a list for one day of every time you use water: to drink, shower, wash dishes etc.
2. Search through recent newspapers, magazines, and web sites and cut, copy or print out a picture, story, headline or even single word about water that you find.

Step by Step

1. Go to (or meet at) the baptismal font in church.
2. Invite every body to sit down, get comfortable, close their eyes and listen to the water flowing (if your font has a pump). Play the CD.
3. Light the Easter candle if it is nearby.
4. Have everyone share their list of how often they used water in one day. If you group is larger than 15 people, have people do this in groups of three or four.
5. Discuss: What does this tell us about water?
6. Have each one share his or her cut-out/print-out about water. After each one shows it to the group, he or she glues it a poster board. As a poster board is filled, prop it up against the font and begin a new one.
7. Discuss: What do all these tell us about water?
8. Brainstorm: Using the easel, whiteboard/newsprint and markers, list all the stories in the Bible that the group can think of that deal with water.
9. HINT! If no one remembers these three, make sure you throw them in the mix: the parting of the Red Sea so that the Hebrew slaves pass through while the Egyptian oppressors drown; the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan; the river of life in the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation.
10. Discuss: Given all that we know about water, from our daily experience, the news and current events, and the scriptures, why do we use water in our sacrament of baptism?
11. See if everyone knows the melody to the song, "Baptized In Water," which is the same as the folk song, "Morning Has Broken." If not, teach it to the group and practice it enough until all are comfortable to sing it. (Point out that it's okay to sing.)
12. Tell everyone that during the prayer, they will be asked to extend both hands over the water as a sign of blessing. Also, each one will be asked to say aloud the name of a person who or a place that needs peace. After each name, we will all say, "Grant us peace!"
13. Invite everyone to a moment of silence again, just as at the beginning. You can play instrumental music (either live or recorded) as long as you can speak over it.
14. Invite all to stand and extend both of their hands over the water in the font as a sign of blessing.
15. Pray the blessing prayer.
16. Invite everyone to take water from the font and bless themselves. End the instrumental music when all have finished.
17. Invite everyone to say the name of a person or place that they know who/that is in need of peace. After each name, all say, "Grant us peace!"
18. When all names are said, say the Our Father together.
19. All sing "Baptized in Water."
20. Share refreshments if you brought them.