For all my life I have been a very religious person, very active in my church as a Moravian (from birth) and in the last 20 or more years as an Anglican. Neither of these churches practised the sacrament of adult Baptism (immersion). However, church life was always interesting and what you do not experience you cannot miss. I knew I had "given my heart to the Lord," read my bible, said my prayers and asked for forgiveness when I did wrong. I also attended confession as the church so decreed and found it spiritually satisfying.

During the last six years my spiritual life took a deeply significant turn I was undergoing at one time a period of stress and tension which almost resulted in a heart attack or stroke (July 1982); and the being involved in an accident on the way to Kennedy Airport, returning from a holiday in the U.S.A. (August 1983). On both of these occasions I realised that God was saying something to me, and it was that he wanted all of my life in service for Him.

I devoted more of my time to reading religious books to help me to progress in this spiritual warfare. Religious activities increased and I worked closer with my group at the church as we tried to strengthen each other in dedicating out total lives and all we had to God’s service. But I realised something was still missing from my spiritual life.

An evening in September 1985 as I returned from work I sat on the floor of my bedroom and began going through some of the books in my bookcase. I took a workbook that dealt with the Gospel of St. Mark and came to the third lesson, which dealt with the Baptism of Jesus. In the discourse a passage hit me in the stomach forcibly. This passage read "Jesus who knew no sin asked to be baptised by John along with the sinners". It came home to me an example. The question was asked of me "what about you? Aren’t you going to follow His example and be baptised?" The urge was so great that I went to my husband and told him my decision.

I knew I had to tell my parish priest. He told me that I had already been baptised as an infant. I told him I was speaking about immersion, which I wanted to experience for myself. We spoke at length of my spiritual progress and I left him with the assurance that I was not preaching it to the Anglican congregation as it was a very personal and spiritual awakening for me.

I then contacted and made an appointment with then Bishop Granville Williams, a Man of God, for whom I have the deepest respect, and I discussed this desire with him. He told me that he would be happy whenever I was ready to perform this special rite. (see of Rites and Rituals). I began attending Wednesday night services at Zion after repenting at the altar and then taking my place at the Mercy Seat, helped prepare me for this very significant rite.

The night of my Baptism came in October 1986. I was a little apprehensive (as I am a seafaring person), but all that was put to flight as I was prepared by those ministering angels and saints of the church, for the journey to the River Jordan. A sense of peace and a sense of the Divine presence enfolded me as I reached the banks of Jordan. My turn came to be led by those gentle hands into the cool calm waters to be received by His Grace the Archbishop. As he received me and whispered instructions in my ear fear no longer had any part in my heart.

As I came up from the depths of Jordan I knew that the old man had been buried and it was the new man rising in all fullness of life to hear those words "Behold the cross." Instead of a cross of shame I saw in the east the Hill of Calvary. There was my Saviour who had died for me with that look of love surrounded by a beautiful halo of light. An ecstasy of pure joy and peace flooded my soul, and began skipping like as lamb thanking and praising God for this wonderful mystery and revelation, knowing that I had received that which I sought.

I returned to the church for further teachings and I can testify boldly that since that glorious night my life has changed miraculously.

There is a feeling of deep calm and spiritual peace as I meet the conflicts of each day; and there are many major problems I had to face since that glorious experience:

1.The furor caused in the Anglican Community because of my Baptism and my full-time membership in the S.O.G.A.S.B.C.

2. Many family problems

3. The death of my husband.

Before my baptism these would have hit me like a ton of bricks and sent my blood pressure soaring, but the peace and calm that accompanied these trials have been nothing short of miraculous.

Trials and problems will always be there but with Christ in the vessel I can smile at the storm however turbulent.