Baptismal Font at St Mark Lutheran Church
St Mark's Baptismal Font was hand-made of solid walnut by St Mark members Bob & Ruth Schmidt in January & February 2002. It was presented to St Mark Lutheran Church on the occasion of the February 17, 2002, baptism of Galen Thomas Schmidt - Bob & Ruth's first grandchild.
The brass basin and bronze descending dove relief were "recycled" from the previous font, and were gifts to the church by long-time St Mark members Ken & "Shorty" Crewdson..
The octagonal shape was chosen as being symbolic of the new life found in Christ through baptism. The shape originated in ancient times and is explained as follows:
From Sumerian and Babylonian times the number "7" was
associated with celestial bodies and spiritual forces: the 7 planets (those
known at that time), the 7 evil spirits, the 7 levels of the ziggurat, etc.
According to St. Augustine, the number seven was used to express wholeness
or completeness. God created the world in seven days and on the last, the
seventh, he rested. The Christian life is ordered by series of seven (the seven
capital sins, seven virtues, seven sacraments, seven requests in the Lord's
Prayer, etc.
Eight, the first number after seven, is the symbol of
life, the new life after baptism. In early Christian belief, the resurrection of
Christ happens on the eighth day. The octagon is thus the favored form for a
Baptismal Font.