Call together with the song performed by The Flirtations

"Everything Possible"

We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved,
washed the dishes and put them away.
I have told you a story and tucked you in tight
at the end of your knock-about day.
As the moon sets its sail to carry you to sleep over the midnight sea.
I will sing you a song no one sang to me,
may it keep you good company.

You can be anybody that you want to be, you can love whomever you will.
You can travel any country where your heart leads
and know I will love you still.
You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,
you can choose one special one.
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
will be the love you leave behind when you're gone.

Some girls grow up strong and bold, some boys are quiet and kind.
Some race on ahead, some follow behind,
some grow in their own space and time.
Some women love women and some men love men.
Some raise children and some never do.
You can dream all the day never reaching the end
of everything possible for you.

Don't be rattled by names, by taunts or games,
but seek out spirits true.
If you give your friends the best part of yourself
they will give the same back to you.

You can be anybody that you want to be, you can love whomever you will.
You can travel any country where your heart leads
and know I will love you still.
You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,
you can choose one special one.
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
will be the love you leave behind when you're gone.
Oh, the love you leave behind when you're gone.

RABBI: "Abraham picked up the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven: 'Abraham, Abraham.' And he answered, 'Here I am.' The Angel said, 'Do not raise your hand against the boy nor do him any harm.' (Genesis 22:10-12) Historians tell us that both the priestly animal sacrifice and the blood rite of circumcision replaced an earlier practice of human sacrifice. Instead of giving up the male child's life itself to God, the Jews began to offer up the blood of circumcision.

Parent 1: But the real test in this passage and in Genesis 17, where God commands Abraham to circumcise his son in exchange for land, was not whether Abraham would blindly obey God but if he would use his innate moral sense and tell God: "NO! It is WRONG to maim innocent babies just so I could have a piece of land." "NO! It is wrong to murder even on your command." Abraham failed these tests and we have been living with his failure ever since.

RABBI: We are gathered together today, in the last year of a century which has given us profound and unprecedented insight into our humanity, one hundred years in which we have learned that each of us is fully human from the moment we are born, able to feel and able to remember all the richness of each and every moment's experience.

But this century has also given us the Holocaust, a bloodletting of unprecedented proportion. Given both the insight and the brutality of our century, we are inevitably led to conclude that there must be no more bloodshed in God's name. We continue where Abraham left off: We shall do the child no harm.

Parents: Here we are, ready to enter our child into the covenant with history, in the tradition of the many peoples he was born into and will be raise and nurtured by.

ALL: No more bloodshed in God's name. No more bloodshed in any name. We shall do the child no harm. We will try to teach love and compassion for all.

RABBI: Baruch ha-ba b'shem Adonai --- Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

ALL: Baruch ha-ba.
Blessed is the newborn.

RABBI: Blessed Is the Universe which makes children whole and beloved as their birthright, which keeps the laws of the world in their flesh, and seals our offspring with the mark of holy promise.

Parent 2: In celebrating this child, we celebrate ourselves and our communities. This child was born of two brave people who did not think themselves capable of giving him the loving home all children deserve. They made the courageous choice of finding a loving home with us for their child and we salute them for their bravery and their choice. By birth he is of Irish Protestant and Native American (or whatever is appropriate) decent. By choice he has entered a family associated with many rich histories and traditions and many communities: Catholic, Jewish, Latino and Hispanic, European, Asian American, Gay & Lesbian (or whatever is appropriate). We wish to recognize some of the people who will be important in his life:

Will the Grandparents please come forward.
Each parent charges his/her parents to be grandparents (however they define it) and asks their willingness to discharge their role.

Will the Uncles, Aunts and Cousins please come forward.
The parents charges their relatives to be extended family to the child and asks their willingness to discharge their role.

Will the God-parents please come forward.
The parents charge the god-parents with their role (however they define it) to the child and asks their willingness to discharge their role.

Hine Ma-Tov

Song: Hine Ma-Tov
Hine ma-tov ooh manayim shevet achim gahm yachad.
Hine ma-tov ooh manayim shevet achyot gahm yachat.

RABBI:

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohahynu melech ha-olam asher kid-shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzi-vanu al ha Brit.
Blessed it is that we are made holy with commandments and are charged concerning the covenant.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohahynu melech ha-olam asher kid-shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzi-vanu l'hak-niso b'vrito shel Sara v'Avraham.
Blessed art Thou, Great Spirit of the Universe, who has commanded us to welcome our son into the covenant of Sarah and Abraham and into the human family.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohahynu melech ha-ohm she-heh-cheyanu, v'kiy-'manu v'higi-yanu la.zman ha-zeh.
Blessed are you, our Source, light of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.

K-sheym she-nlchnahs la-brit, keyn yi'kahnes la-Torah la-Chupah u-l'mah'asim tovim.
As this child enters the Covenant and the community, so may he enter the ways of wisdom, the canopy of love and the doing of good works.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohahynu melech ha-olam bo ray p'ri hagafen.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, who creates the fruit of the vine.

(RABBI sips, gives cup to parents, who sip and then places drop of wine on baby's lips.)

Parents: Praise be to the powers of the universe, which have honored us by sending this child to bless our home and family. We in turn honor this child by bestowing on him the name of:

Explanation of Names

RABBI: (Priestly benediction) Lord of all creation, we thank Thee for this child, created in thine image: whole, complete and perfect. We have welcomed him into Thy covenant of peace. Bestow upon him Thy watchful care that he may grow and flourish in the life, which Thou hast given. Be Thou with his loving parents and all his family. Grant them all strength and health and length of days. Uphold them in kindness and crown them with Thy favor.

Yi-va-rechecha Adonal vi-yishma-recha
Ya-er Adonai panav aylecha vi-y'chunecha
Yisa Adonai panav aylecha, vi-yasem l'cha shalom.

May the Lord bless you and keep you
May His countenance shine upon you and be gracious unto you
May the Lord turn His face unto you and grant you peace.

ALL: AMEN

RABBI: We make a toast with the traditional kiddush.
And before we proceed to break bread together, may I invite all who care to, to extend their good wishes to this child (or subsitute his name).

This Brit Shalom - Covenant of Wholeness ceremony was attended in Oakland, California on November 21, 1999 by Marilyn Fayre Milos, R.N., who reports that everyone present was crying with joy except for the baby who was not crying at all.

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