Ava's Baptism

A week after returning from our vacation, a small group of family and friends joined us at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Tustin for Ava's baptism. The ceremony was presided over by Reverends Reese Riley and Kay Sylvester.

What's the Episcopal Church? Referred to by many as "Catholic Light," the Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the U.S. The Church was organized shortly after the American Revolution when it was forced to break with the Church of England on penalty of treason as Church of England clergy were required to swear allegiance to the British monarch, and became, in the words of the 1990 report of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Group on the Episcopate, "the first Anglican Province outside the British Isles." In keeping with Anglican tradition and theology, the Episcopal Church considers itself a via media, middle way, between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Ava's gown and hat were both family heirlooms worn by several generations of Smith/Knapp(/and now Cruz) women.

(Ava being baptised)

(Chris, Ava, Abby and Godmother Aunt Hannah)

(Poppy, Grammy, and Ava)

(Ava, Grandma, and Grandpa)

Following the church service, everyone headed back to our house where we had a nice little brunch and Ava got to open up her presents. At least for the time being the opening of the presents is far more exciting for Ava than the presents themselves.