Kirralee Nicolle
26 May 2022
Two young people have been baptised after wrestling with deep questions and realising the importance of following Jesus.
Nine-year-old Joshua Anderson and 21-year-old Anneliese Hall from Berwick Anglican were baptised in Lysterfield Lake in 16 degree weather.
The pair made their public commitment of faith on Sunday May 22 in front of around 40 family, friends and church members.
Ms Hall said that after rejecting the faith she had held previously, she found herself forced to bring her busy life to a halt during lockdowns and sit in silence.
“I started to wonder what was really important to me,” she said.
Ms Hall told how after facing a period of darkness, she committed to asking questions, reading Scripture, talking to leaders, praying and “searching for the light”.
“It wasn’t until I stopped focusing on other people’s faith journeys and started focusing solely on my own relationship with God that I found the fulfillment that my soul and spirit longed for,” she said.
Mr Anderson said in his testimony that for him, being a Christian meant listening to Jesus, obeying Jesus and following Jesus.
“And that’s what I want to do,” Mr Anderson said.
Berwick Anglican Associate Minister Reverend Reece Kelly said that the church had seen several adult baptisms recently.
Mr Kelly said the church had conducted 14 baptisms in the past year, four of which were for adults.
He said he believed that people were hearing the gospel and being challenged to respond.
“Because we are in a growth corridor, we try to use every opportunity we can to preach the gospel,” Mr Kelly said.
“I think that explains a lot about why we are seeing [so many] adult baptisms.”
Mr Kelly also remarked that the temperature on the day had felt freezing.
