17 Sep Nine Baptisms–No, Make that 12!–at Shepherd of the Valley

Jason Sheets (right), associate/youth pastor, Shepherd of the Valley UB (Logan, Ohio)

On August 26, we had a baptism service at the Carmichael pond, a farm pond near Sugar Grove, Ohio. Senior pastor Doug Stull welcomed everyone and opened the service with prayer. We sang some hymns as a group, and I shared a short message about baptism from Matthew 3.

Then pastor Doug (left) and I baptized 9 people. One of those people was a woman who came to our church for the first time on August 18 to our Third Street Community Festival. The next day, following our Sunday morning service, she prayed with pastor Doug and received Christ and wanted to be baptized.

As our baptism service was wrapping up, a couple who were driving by pulled off the road and asked us if we were having a baptism. After talking with pastor Doug for a few minutes, they both received Christ and wanted to be baptized. Just a random couple driving down a country road, this meeting was definitely a God moment.

While pastor Doug was talking with them, I (pastor Jason) was talking with my oldest daughter, Sarah, who was saved last year at our VBS. She, too, was inquiring about baptism. So Doug and I proceeded to baptize 3 more people, bringing the total to 12.

It was an honor and a privilege to be able to assist in baptizing so many, including my daughter. Following the baptism, we shared in a time of fellowship and eating ice cream.