06/02/2026
This past Sunday at Return Church, we witnessed the beautiful gift of baptism.
For us, baptism is not a symbol of self-improvement. It is a symbol of death and resurrection.
It is the public proclamation that something old has passed away and something new is emerging.
As a community, we know what it is to carry addiction, shame, resentment, image management, and the exhausting burden of trying to hold everything together by our own effort. We know what it feels like to live from the false self — the version of us built around survival, control, and appearances.
But Christ is not asking us to polish up the false self.
He is inviting us to release it.
To let it be buried.
To rise into something new.
That is the beauty of baptism. It reminds us that following Christ means following the way of Christ: living, dying, and rising.
We are so grateful for every person who made that public proclamation this past Sunday. What a holy and beautiful moment for our community.