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Calgary, Alta.
Church holds baptism in leisure centre


Saddle Ridge Community Church, an emerging church in Calgary under Mission Calgary, held a baptismal service in Village Square Leisure Centre on February 10.

Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Grant Galpin, Paul Buller; (middle) Tom Young (b), Karen Webb, Dwayne Webb, Louie Raposo (b), Denise Esau; (front) Diana Raposo (b), Linnea Rudnisky (b), Amanda Tenbroek (b), Lisa Gall (b); and (sitting) Jeremy Klager.

Six candidates were baptized during public programming hours at the main hot pools beside the Wave Pool. As over 100 people and guests from the church witnessed the baptism, another 100 or more people, who were there for other reasons, stopped for about 20 minutes to observe what was happening. People from various cultures and faiths moved closer to get a better look, as the ceremony seemed to grab their attention. A Muslim girl explained to two older Muslim men what was happening as they watched with interest.

“I don’t think we should ever go back to holding a baptism inside a church again,” a church leader later said.

Life Group leaders baptized the individuals whom they had led to the Lord and had begun to disciple. Karen and Dwayne Webb had the privilege of baptizing their own sister and brother-in-law, Diana and Louie Raposo, new believers in their group. Paul Buller baptized Tom Young, who is being mentored by Buller in a Discovering the Bible Life Group. Denise Esau baptized Lisa Gall, whom Esau has prayed with over the last few months. Jeremy Klager, the KidZone director, baptized Gall’s daughter Amanda Tenbroek and another girl Linnea Rudnisky.

Celebrating along with the church was a group of first-year students from Bethany Bible Institute, Hepburn, Sask., who ministered in a variety of ways during the following week. They shared testimonies and a drama on Sunday; delivered over 7000 flyers in the community on Monday; surveyed two neighbourhoods on Tuesday and Friday, resulting in 68 families for the church to follow up on; led youth events on Wednesday and Friday evenings, impacting some of the youth in the community; and did random acts of kindness on Tuesday and Thursday, helping to create a broader awareness of the church.

Saddle Ridge Community Church had to find an alternate location for the baptism after the School Board refused to allow the church to hold baptisms in the school it was using for worship. Fortunately, the church found a location within 10 minutes from the school.

According to pastor Grant Galpin, another four people have indicated they would like to be baptized. “And you can bet,” he states, “the service won’t be in a church.”

The congregation is preparing to hold a chartering service on March 24.

 – Saddle Ridge Community Church

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Last modified April 12, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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