A Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child

Clare Madalyn Thweatt Bates

Michael Chapel
Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ
Sunday, June 25, 2006

Parents:
Jennifer J. Thweatt-Bates & J. Brent Bates

Grandparents:
Patricia P. Thweatt & Bruce T. Thweatt
Malda L. Bates & J. Leroy Bates

Celebrant:
Anne Marie Richards

Celebrant: Dear Friends: The birth of a child is a joyous and solemn occasion in the life of a family. It is also an occasion for rejoicing in the Christian community. I bid you, therefore, to join Jennifer and Brent in giving thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, the Lord of all life, for the gift of Clare to be their daughter. Let us say together:


Celebrant & People (The Magnificat):
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Celebrant: Let us pray.

O God, you have taught us through your blessed Son that whoever receives a little child in the name of Christ receives Christ himself: We give thanks for the blessing you have bestowed upon this family in giving them a child. Confirm their joy by a lively sense of your presence with them, and give them calm strength and patient wisdom as they seek to bring this child to love all that is true and noble, just and pure, lovable and gracious, excellent and admirable, following the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

O gracious God, we give you humble and hearty thanks that you have preserved through the pain and anxiety of child birth your servant Jennifer who desires now to offer you her praises and thanksgivings. Grant, most merciful Father, that by your help she may live faithfully according to your will in this life, and finally partake of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God of Compassion, in our thanksgiving, we remember those who have had difficult births, fully aware of the fragility of life. We especially remember our friends Joe, Laura, Sophia, and Ira. Grant, most merciful God, that Ira will grow healthy and strong and confident in the knowledge that he is truly loved. Amen.

Almighty God, giver of life and love, bless Jennifer and Brent. Grant them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. And so knit their wills together in your will and their spirits in your Spirit, that they may live together in love and peace all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O eternal God, you have promised to be a father to a thousand generations of those who love and fear you: Bless this child and preserve her life; receive her and enable her to receive you, that through the Sacrament of Baptism she may be sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


A Beatitude of St. Clare of Assisi, in honor of whom this child is named:

Happy, indeed, is she to whom it is
given to share the sacred banquet, to
cling with all her heart to Him,

Whose beauty all the heavenly hosts
admire unceasingly,
Whose love inflames our love,
Whose contemplation is our refreshment,
Whose graciousness is our joy,
Whose gentleness fills us to overflowing,
Whose remembrance brings a gentle light,
Whose fragrance will revive the dead,
Whose glorious vision will be the happiness of all the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.

Blessing
May God the Father, who by Baptism adopts us as God’s own, grant you grace. Amen.

May God the Son, who sanctified a home at Nazareth, fill you with love. Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit, who has made the Church one family, keep you in peace. Amen.

Katharine Jefferts Schori

With the birth of Clare I've been somewhat distracted from the events of the General National Convention of the Episcopal Church during the past week and into this week. But I was very pleased to find out on Sunday evening that Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected as the next Presiding Bishop.

I liked Jefferts Schori best out of the seven candidates, since I think she has the boldest vision for the mission of the church. Jennifer is correct in saying that we liked her regardless of her being female. However, I am elated that such a positive symbol of gender equality occurred during the same week of the birth of my daughter Clare, who will grow up seeing a strong and capable female leader of the church.

Clare Madalyn Thweatt Bates

Clare Madalyn Thweatt Bates was born on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 4:09 p.m. at the University Medical Center in Princeton, NJ. She was 9 pounds 4 ounces and 21 inches long. Click here for more pictures.