I read about a United Methodist preacher whose whole confirmation class decided they wanted to be baptized by immersion. It was one of those grand events with almost the whole congregation there at the local river. Parents were in tears, grandparents stood by proud and crying too as these young people made that momentous decision in their lives. Other youth and children stood in awe and wonder, filled with curiosity because most of them had never witnessed a baptism by immersion.

All of that wonderful emotion was short circuited when during the very first baptism the preacher was heard to say: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and ... holy moly, I forgot to take off my watch!"

Today we celebrate and remember the baptism of Jesus. I'm pretty sure John the Baptist di…