The Montana Conference has experienced some special baptisms these past few months.
Kalispell Church
June 4 was a special day for the Kalispell (Mont.) Church. Caleb and Seth Reeves, along with Logan Harris, were all baptized during the church service. Casey Higgins, pastor, encouraged other youth to follow these young men's example, which resulted in several more youth requesting baptismal studies.
Following baptism, each of the young men was presented with the Pathfinder baptismal pin by Josh Holloway, Pathfinder leader, and gifts of recognition from their church and the Montana Conference.
Louise Atkinson, Kalispell Church communication leader
Eureka Church
The Eureka (Mont.) Church had two baptisms. The first was 14-year-old Hannah Rayne, baptized by her father (with the Montana Conference leadership's blessing) on Feb. 5. Rayne has been raised by her parents, Paul and Carolyn, to embrace Adventist Bible teachings. She helps with evangelism through a family life ministry, Restoration International by Happy is the Home on the 3ABN television network.
The second baptism was Deborah Wagner on Sabbath, July 9. One of Wagner's ties to Adventism came through the Depression Recovery Program the church held for the community. This was followed by personal Bible study on the book of Daniel with Jim Poch, AFCOE graduate, and then Lonny Liebelt, pastor.
Angela Poch, Eureka Church communication leader
Custer Church
On July 23, siblings Dillon and Traci Kemph were baptized in the Mission Reservoir near their home, just east of Custer, Mont., by 88-year-old Richard Knapp, a retired pastor living in Livingston, Mont.
One interesting thing about this baptism was the same pastor who baptized brother and sister, also baptized their father, Travis, and uncle, Joe Kemph III, in the Yellowstone River in 1985. At Travis' and Joe's baptisms, Knapp was newly retired from full-time ministry, yet still working as a stipend pastor at the Custer Church. Furthermore, this same pastor, when he was pastoring the Billings (Mont.) Church in 1964, also baptized Dillon's and Traci's grandfather, Joe Kemph Jr.
Archie Harris, Montana Conference communication director
Pictured, from left: Casey Higgins, pastor, and Josh Holloway with newly baptized members Seth Reeves, Logan Harris and Caleb Reeves on June 4 at the Kalispell (Mont.) Church. (Josh Peterson)
Deborah Wagner is baptized into the Eureka (Mont.) Church.
Hannah Rayne is baptized by her father into the Eureka (Mont.) Church on Feb. 5.
On July 23, siblings Dillon and Traci Kemph were baptized in the Mission Reservoir near their home just east of Custer, Mont. (Kaylee Weirather)
