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Pyle leads members of Cornerstone Baptist Church
Parishioners are led in prayer by their pastor, now soaked in river water. Pyle baptized several church members in the Rappahannock yesterday afternoon.
Pastor Todd Pyle of Cornerstone Baptist Church baptizes Mark Maynard in the river at Falmouth Waterfront Park yesterday. |
"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.
"It means that I know I did something right--that I haven't failed as a mom leading them to a Christian life," she said.
"Joey" Watford, an eighth-grader at Gayle Middle School, said he was clear about his decision.
"This means a lot, just representing the Lord and savior," he said as he stepped out of the river, water dripping from his soaked shirt. "That I accepted him and I'm not afraid to say it."
Before they walked to the water, Pyle read from the book of Romans--chapter 6, verses 3 and 4.
"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized were baptized with him unto his death," Pyle said.
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Pyle exhorted the congregation to support and encourage these young Christians as they begin walking in their new lives.
After each one had been into the river, Pyle came ashore--his green polo shirt and khaki pants soaked.
As he was explaining that early Christians knew baptism and a public profession of faith often assured persecution, Park Manager Brian Robinson walked up and quietly told Pyle he needed to speak to him.
"It is park policy that we don't allow that kind of thing any more," Robinson told him of the baptisms.
He explained that there had been four drownings three years earlier, and that everyone was discouraged from going into the water.
Robinson added that religious activity is specifically prohibited. "We don't allow religious activities and church services."
Afterward, Pyle said he'd been unaware of the prohibition. Before his next baptism, he said he would investigate the rules and if the local governments forbade it, he'd find another place to go.
To reach PAMELA GOULD: 540/657-9101 pgould@freelancestar.com
