As the sun glowed golden on the shore of Lake Serene on Sept. 22, a crowd of hundreds cheered and worshipped God. To passersby, what may have initially sounded like a disruption to the still waters and the calm environment was — in reality — a celebration.
That evening, more than 400 members from Temple Church, Hattiesburg, gathered for their annual outdoor baptism service.
Ten years ago, Temple began offering this night to new and rededicating believers. But when their numbers outgrew the large tanks on their property or the local football stadium, the services moved to nearby Lake Serene. The beautiful scenery, the natural amphitheater, and the convenience of a clubhouse for participants to dry off and change after the service make the lake an ideal spot for an outdoor baptism.
Not your typical year
On average, Temple baptizes 40 people at this event each year.
This year, it was 81.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lindsey Williams and originally published by the Baptist Record.
