Andrew's dedication

This past Sunday we had Andrew dedicated at our church. I have to say, I love how they do the baby dedications at Highland--the parents write a statement about how they chose their child's name and their hopes for him as a Christian and in his faith. We chose Nate's dad to read the statement to the congregation, while my mom and Nate's mom walked Drew up and down the aisle of the church.

At the beginning of the dedication, when our minister asks us if we "will tell him the stories of Jesus and sing to him the songs of faith"

Nate's dad reading our statement (I put the text below) while DeeDee walks Andrew across the front of the church

My mom, walking Drew up and down the aisle

I love this picture of him just looking out at everyone

 

He seems to be listening very intently while Joe tells him that "before we loved God, God loved us" (these are the words that are said at all baby dedications at our church)

 Here are the words Nate and I wrote about Drew:                             

It wasn’t long after we found out that we were pregnant with a boy that everyone began asking the standard question: What are you going to name him? Being a teacher, I, Alison, knew there were plenty of names I didn’t want (as any teacher knows--certain names are etched forever in your memory) but choosing Andrew as a first name was simple: It is Nate’s middle name, a Biblical name, and reflects what we hope is passing on of a family name, as Nate’s parents chose it for him.

We selected “Carter” for his middle name based on the name of the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia. This is the place where we went on our first date, sitting on old bus seats in a barn as we watched Jeannette Carter on the autoharp and Joe Carter on the guitar play “Keep on the Sunny Side,” and Carter is also the name of the county in east Tennessee where, during college, the two of us spent countless hours hiking in the Appalachian Mountains (when perhaps we should have been in Humanities 101). We wanted Andrew’s middle name to reflect all of these ideas: an appreciation for traditions and community as well as a love for the outdoors. 

And just as the Carter’s music reflects the Appalachian community, it is our hope that Andrew will find a community here at Highland that reflects the broader family of Christ. We hope and pray that he can discover his place in that body, embracing the teachings of Christ, knowing Him as his Lord and Savior. We believe that a community of believers is essential if we are to raise Andrew to follow in the steps of Christ.  

Through his, family both immediate and extended, as well as his church community, we pray that Andrew knows the love of our Heavenly father and as he grows up, desires to share that love with others through compassion, acts of service and a strong faith that shapes his character. 

                       
 It was such a meaningful and special dedication for all of us as Nate's parents came in town and both of our families were able to participate (in case you were wondering, my dad video-taped it, as he's not much of one for being in the limelight).  After the service, everyone came back to our house for lunch and of course we took some more pictures.

With Grandpop and Granna

Family picture with the Moulders

Picture taken at the church