Christ Church - The Blessing of the Waters Epiphany 2024

Christ Church hosted a service at Owen Beach in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, on the shores of the Puget Sound. These waters are known by various names, called the Whulge by the Puyallup people, and collectively known as the Salish Sea by many of the indigenous peoples.

Around two dozen members and friends gathered with our new rector, the Rev. Maria Gwyn McDowell, PhD, who led the service. The liturgy included prayers, a reading from Genesis, a psalm read responsively, and a reflection by Mother Maria.

While we gathered we were treated to the sight of a humpbacked whale breaching offshore, sadly too far away to get a photo.

Following the reflection we learned an Orthodox setting of the hymn, “When You, O Lord, were baptized in the Jordan,” and sang it in repetition as we processed down to the water’s edge.

Following a triple blessing of the water and the collection of blessed to take back to our baptismal font, the liturgy closed with a prayer and final blessing.

Everyone received a small vial of blessed water to take home.