For Lorraine Heater and Darlene Portra being grandparents is more than a title: It’s a mission.
About two years ago 7-year-old Sarah Heater sat down beside me at Native American Camp Meeting at Fort Belknap and asked, "Are you our new pastor?"
"Can you baptize me?" was her next question.
"Yes, I can, but let’s talk to your folks, first, OK?"
I talked to Sarah’s grandmother, Lorraine Heater, who agreed to include baptismal studies in Sarah’s homeschool curriculum. About a year and a half later Sarah and her brother Gabe were baptized along with Dustin and Nick Portra.
Dustin and Nick Portra go to the same church as Sarah and Gabe and when they found out their friends were being baptized, they wanted to be baptized too! Their grandmother, Darlene Portra, made sure that Dustin and Nick got in on all the studies.
The four churches in our district gathered at the Glendive Church for Sabbath School, church, potluck and the second annual Praise and Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 18, 2006. The afternoon service was highlighted by testimonies from Sarah and Gabe’s dad, Leslie Heater, on his miraculous rescue from drug addiction.
The baptism was a joyful experience filled with grace and commitment. Three people made their decision to follow Jesus and to prepare to be baptized.
The Portra family, from left: Ruth, maternal great-grandmother; Darlene, grandmother; Ken, grandfather; Dustin, newly baptized; Faith, mother; Chris Boysun, faith friend; and Nick, newly baptized.
The Heater family, from left: Larry, grandfather; Lorraine, grandmother; Ruby Crain, great-grandmother; Gabe, newly baptized; Leslie, father; Sarah, newly baptized; and Josh, brother.
Praise and Thanksgiving Sabbath Nov. 18
Small groups for discussion for Sabbath School lesson.
From left: Nick and Dustin Portra, Milton Fish, Sidney Church pastor, Sarah and Gabe Heater.
Pastor Fish baptizing Sarah Heater
