testimonials

Wade in the Water
By Jennie Churchman

“Wade in the water.  Wade in the water, children.  Wade in the water.  God’s gonna trouble the water.”  With a slow tambourine beat and a bluesy undertone, these words resonated throughout the sanctuary in the minutes just before Easter Day arrived.  It was one of the last acts of The Way’s Easter Vigil—remembering our baptisms.  One by one, folks came forward to dip their hands into waters drawn from our baptistery.  It was a quiet, meditative time at the end of a long but meaningful experience of worship.  I thought about getting in line myself, but—quite frankly—my feet and I were enjoying the rest. 

Movement from the row behind me caught my attention, and I turned to find one of our worshippers leaning in to tell me something.  I thought it was going to be an “all-business” conversation; the vigil was about to end and everyone knew we had a mighty clean-up job ahead of us before we could go home.  But I was wrong.  “Jennie,” he said in a whisper that was not all that quiet.  “I need to be baptized.”  The words came rushing out then.  “I’ve never felt this way before.  My heart is just pounding.  I need to be baptized.”  My heart started some pounding of its own.  His passion and excitement were barely contained. 

By this time, almost everyone had left the sanctuary and returned to our worship space in the Fellowship Hall.  We talked for a few moments about his Confession of Faith and what it is like to be baptized.  Then I went to tell the others what was about to happen.  I could hear their whispered conversations rippling across the room as I entered it.  “Could it be…?”  “I wonder if it’s…?”  “Do you think…?”  “Well,” I announced, “Now that you’re all settled, let’s move back to the sanctuary for a baptism!”  The room erupted with excitement. 

The water was cold.  I’m not sure what was wrong with the heater, but wow it was cold.  I joked as we entered the baptistery that at least we don’t live in the “good old days” when they had to break the ice in the creek behind the church.  But you know, it’s a funny thing…I didn’t notice the cold once I turned to look at his face.  Talk about burning with the Holy Spirit.  He was alive with the Holy Spirit.  And that fire burned only brighter as he came up from under the water.  A new brother in Christ.  A new Christian.  A new creation.  I’m speechless even now.  There’s not much you can say in the presence of the holy, except maybe wow. 

This time cheers resonated throughout the sanctuary.  And applause.  And that wonderful horn Sean Carter uses to express his enthusiasm.  It didn’t stop.  No one wanted it to stop.  We kept cheering and clapping until our cheeks were sore from smiling.  Wow is all I can say. 

The community returned to the Fellowship Hall to sing until we could rejoin them for our closing act of the night:  communion.  I came into the room while they were singing “Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone”:

My chains are gone; I’ve been set free. 
            My God, my Savior has ransomed me. 
            And like a flood his mercy reigns 
             Unending love, amazing grace. 

Wow.  As our new brother entered the room, we were singing, “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to thee.”  Wow again.