Pyle leads members of Cornerstone Baptist Church to the banks of the Rappahannock River in Falmouth to perform baptisms. Twelve congregants of the Stafford church, including Pyle's son, Jacob, were baptized at the site popularly known as Falmouth Beach, following their Sunday service. mwm View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Down to the river to pray

Stafford church replicates biblical practice of river baptism at Rappahannock

By PAMELA GOULD

Date published: 5/24/2004

Pastor baptizes worshippers in Rappahannock

"And they were baptized of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins."

--Matthew 3:6

In the gospels, those who repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as savior were baptized in the Jordan River.

It was a public expression of their faith--the submersion identifying with Christ's death and burial; the re-emergence from the water symbolizing his resurrection.

Yesterday, 12 new believers from Cornerstone Baptist Church near Berea repeated that centuries-old practice in the Rappahannock River.

About 50 members of the Stafford church's congregation looked on--as did men, women and children who had come to the regional Falmouth Waterfront Park for some swimming, sunbathing and fishing.

For Kris Jones, who describes herself as a quiet person, it was a bold act of faith.

"For me, it's very hard to do something like that," said Jones, whose husband, Todd, also was baptized. "I'm kind of quiet--a nonconfrontational person.

"For me, to do something like that in public was a big step."

But it was that public declaration that Pastor Todd Pyle felt was important.

"Baptism, originally, was a public display of what took place inside--that we're not ashamed of being a Christian," Pyle said.

He finds it troublesome that baptisms have moved inside churches and away from view.

"Christianity is isolated indoors so much that people are confused about what it is, so we just wanted to bring it outdoors," he said after coming back to the shore.

This was the second baptism Pyle, whose congregation calls him "Pastor Todd," has conducted since becoming pastor 11/2 years ago.

Last year, his church went to Curtis Memorial Park in southern Stafford. Cornerstone Baptist doesn't have its own baptistry so, before Pyle arrived, members used the facilities at other churches.

Yesterday, as each person was submerged and then came up out of the water, the group standing on Falmouth's shores applauded.

Young and old alike took part, including 9-year-old Samantha Catron and 7-year-old Jacob Pyle, the pastor's son.

All three of J.R. and Sherry Watford's children were baptized--17-year-old Sydney and her brothers, 12-year-old Jacob and 14-year-old Joseph.

Sherry Watford was overjoyed, and agreed when parishioner Lorraine Thomason gave her a big hug and whispered, "What a big day for you."

"I've been waiting for them to do it on their own," Watford responded.

She said her children's decisions provided encouragement for her.

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Date published: 5/24/2004