Loading...Church of The Ascension once again came as a faith community to the creek at Halcyon Farm, just outside Bardstown, on Ascension Day, June 2, to celebrate not only their congregation's feast day, but the incorporation of 14 people into the community via the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation.
This marks the second annual celebration on the creek bank at the farm of Shaun and Renee' Abell. Last year, one person was baptized. This year, five people (three adults, a child, and an infant) were baptized by Bishop Terry White, who also confirmed five, received two, and reaffirmed two (affiliation by transfer), with the assistance of the Rev. Deacon Ed Lane and the Rev. Karl Lusk, Ascension's rector.
"Before he was elected, Bishop White told me, if elected, he'd be there to 'wade in the water' and baptize," Lusk said. "It was a wonderful, spirit-filled evening," he added, "and we are so thankful he could be present with us."
A mother and her adult son were baptized together, and when her baptism occurred, she exclaimed "Alleluia. I've waited all my life for this." Lusk noted that many of the adult baptisms he sees now are people who felt moved by the Holy Spirit at an earlier time in their life but did not feel comfortable in the denominational setting in which that occurred. "We provide a Gospel of grace, not guilt, and we allow folks to 'come to the water' and their relationship with God in a way that makes sense to them, rather than being force-fed or pushed into it," Lusk noted. "Truly, if we provide an opportunity and stay out of God's way, all things can be accomplished."
Following the service, which fed the souls of about 75 people, a delicious potluck barbecue fed their bodily appetites.
"We have other baptismal candidates who were not able to be here this time, and we'll provide them a similar opportunity in our building," Lusk said, "but we'll be here at the creek again next Ascension Day. This has become a powerful spiritual influence in the lives of all of us here, and we look forward to it."
Photo by Renee Abell. To see more, click here.
