Over 120 people have been baptised in the sea near Bournemouth over the course of two weekends.
Over a thousand people gathered to watch each event, with 43 people being baptised on 21 June, followed by another 80 the following weekend. The events took place on Boscombe beach, which is a short walk along the seafront from Bournemouth.
The Church of England said that a number of people were baptised from St Swithun’s, St Clement’s and St Andrew’s Church in Charminster.
Among those being baptised were mother and daughter, Liz and Ollie. Liz told the Diocese of Winchester, “We’ve been coming to St Andrew’s Church for quite a short time and this is the next step in our journey. You don’t have to have all the answers but I feel like I’ve let a lot of stuff go from the past and I feel really clear going forward now. It’s lovely here today with so many people.”
Amy Snow, also of St Andrew’s, also underwent baptism. She said, “As I came out of the water, I felt more alive than I ever have before. It was an outward expression of the inward change that God has been doing in my life.
"I’m so thankful that God met me where I was, even when I wasn’t looking for Him. He has taken brokenness and begun turning it into something beautiful. My story isn’t about having all the answers or being anywhere near perfect – it’s about the grace of Jesus and how He can transform a life.”
At last year’s baptism event 92 people were baptised in the middle of a heatwave. The event was organised by a group of 14 churches in the area known as the BCP Church Collective (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).
Senior Leader at Lovechurch Bournemouth, Rev Tim Matthews, said, “These baptisms are a sign of great hope for the church in BCP.
"They come out of many years of ecumenical prayer and friendship shared with pastors across the town. Our impact together is so much greater than anything we could accomplish alone.”
