Sunday Aug 10, Summer day 71

As most of you know, Larry is a pastor at our church.  (www.roseheights.org)  One of the joys of being a ministry family is becoming a part of the lives of so many great people.  Learning their "story", getting to watch their kids grow, and being there for big moments in their lives.

This morning, we had some 'big moments' at church.  Last Sunday, our pastor did a sermon on baptism & then called for anyone in the church who would like to be baptised to come forward.  He talked about those who grew up in a different sort of church where they were baptised as infants, but had never been baptised for salvation later in life....or those who had backslidden & rededicated their life at some point who wanted to get re-baptised....or those who had never followed through & got baptised whenever they were saved....or those who were new Christians who wanted to be baptised.  Altogether, 51 people came forward.  Today was the day for ALL of those people to be baptised.

Larry & our pastor coordinated their efforts & scheduled the service this morning for 4 groups of baptisms.  We sang a little, baptised a few, sang some more, baptised a few more, and so on til all 51 people were done!

It was with a damp Kleenex that I watched so many good friends step into the baptismal tub, make a statement of their faith in Jesus as Savior, and be baptised.  Watching them step in nervous, and walk out grinning ear to ear was very touching.  I am so proud of each one of them.  It was an exciting morning!

And to top it off, at the end, our associate pastor held an altar call for others to come forward & accept Christ.  A couple of young men came forward--praise the Lord!  One of the pastors wives handed him a note stating that she felt like God was telling her there was 1 woman in the building who felt like she was "too bad" & "too far gone for God to accept her".  Our associate pastor read that to the crowd & prayed for that 1 woman to come forward & pray with the pastor's wife who had given him the note.  We sang one more song while we waited for that woman.  And then it happened.  A woman came down the aisle crying & went to the lady waiting at the front.  When they reached the front & embraced, the whole church cheered.  That lady ended up making a decision to follow God today!!  What a mighty God we serve!

It's been a good day!