The Lord continues to bless the ministry of Port Hawkesbury United Baptist Church. On Sunday, July 26th, about 25 people from the church traveled to Port Hood beach to celebrate an impromptu baptismal service. On Sunday,
June 21, the church had planned to celebrate their Sunday School picnic with a baptismal service for four individuals. However, the weather did not cooperate, and the event was postponed to the following Sunday, when rain and a thunder storm wiped out the event for a second time. And so the church and individuals involved decided to celebrate the baptisms on the first good opportunity on a weekend. And, so, July 26th dawned warm and sunny, and the decision was made to meet at the beach at 3 pm to baptize two of the individuals.
Shortly after 3 pm, Rev. Chris Greer and the two candidates, as well as those who came to celebrate and witness the event, waded out into the water
and the two candidates were baptized. Shortly after that, two individuals
took a walk down the beach and found another family whose two older
children had also planned on being baptized but had not been present in the
service earlier in the day and therefore did not know what was happening.
So Rev. Greer and those present waded out into the water again and
celebrated a second baptism of two individuals. The Lord had caused the
second family to go to the same beach as the rest and they were able to be
baptized.
On Sunday, August 2nd, three of the four were received into membership in
the church during the communion service. The three were Jocelyn King,
Hannah Wiltzen and Cassidy Carr. Jordan Carr was not present and will
receive the right hand of fellowship at the next service. Hannah, Jordan
and Cassidy are members of the church’s youth group, and Jocelyn sensed a
need to recommit her life to the Lord after having not attended church for
many years.
Shortly after receiving the three into membership, Rev. Greer, in his sermon, stressed that baptism is not only a commitment the individuals
are making to God, but the church also has a commitment it needs to
fulfill, that of nurturing and encouraging those who come to be baptized.
He highlighted Romans 12:5 where it is stated that not only are they
members of the one body of Christ, but that they are also members of one
another. As part of a candidate being given the right hand of fellowship,
the church has developed the practice of each member and adherent
expressing that relationship they share by the whole church coming forward
and receiving the members into their fellowship by shaking their hands or
giving them a hug.
