2021 Easter Baptism Testimonies

Here are the testimonies for those getting baptized this Easter!

Anna Lehn

The Christian faith has always been a big part of my life. I had many years growing up in a Christian home that taught me to love the Lord and live my life for Him. I accepted Jesus into my heart at a young age. In recent years as my family has gone through some hard changes, I realized that my relationship with God wasn’t something I relied on when life was going well. I started leaning into my own personal relationship with God. He showed me that He will never let me down and that I desperately need His grace and love. I want my faith to be a top priority through all the ups and downs that life brings. As I get married later this year and enter an important new chapter, I also want to publicly celebrate my union with Christ through baptism and to continue living a life centered on Jesus.

Davaris Cheeks

I am blessed for this opportunity to be renewed in Spirit and brought into the light of our Lord and Savior. My intermediate family does not have the history of going to a traditional service every Sunday morning, and as there is much separation and spiritual disconnect I hope and pray that my baptism will rejuvenate my family's relationship with the Lord as well as my own. My personal faith journey and walk have had many pivotal turns and redirections, but I am thankful to be saved by His grace. I am committed to surrendering my life to serve Him and His people. I wholeheartedly trust God and know He will use me for His intended purpose. I am beyond blessed to be taking this step in my faith.

Duluth Baptisms

On July 5th, Pastor Bryan baptized Jacob Cloutier and Katherine Chmielewski (now Katherine Cloutier) in Lake Superior near downtown Duluth. The next day he officiated their wedding. Watch the video of these baptisms above. 

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life," (Romans 6:4). 

Easter 2016 Baptisms

On Easter we celebrated two people who were buried with Jesus “by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Here are their stories.

Katie Doleny

I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was 7 years old during Vacation Bible School. I grew up going to church, was highly involved in youth group and attended a Christian school 5th grade through graduation from high school, then attended Bethel University. Needless to say, I was never really challenged on my faith or what I believed in. After graduating from Bethel, I moved to Milwaukee, WI. I was away from my family, the church I grew up in and almost all of my friends. I went to church for a bit, but once I started justifying decisions that were outside of what I knew I should have been doing, it became too shameful and uncomfortable for me to go. Additionally, I basically cut-off ties with my family and friends because they were not agreeing with my choices.

In July of 2014, I had what I term my “come to Jesus” moment. God in all of His amazing sovereignty and grace forgave me and welcomed me back with open arms! Since then, I have had to work on re-building trust and relationships with my family and friends and again, through God’s grace I have been overwhelmed by their willingness to forgive! When I reflect on the years I spent running away from God, I am often brought to tears when I remember so many instances that He was still with me, even though I was choosing to ignore Him. Goodness, His love overwhelms me! Baptism to me signifies my total surrender to God and the ability for me to express such external joy at the internal peace He has lavished upon me! His ability to forgive and truly forget what I have done, has allowed me grace to forgive myself and joyously live as a new creation in Christ. Isaiah 43:18-19 and 25, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland … I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

ERIC CONNER III

Grew up in a Christian home, raised up with Christian values, but never really understood what actually having a relationship with God was until high school. In high school, I had a relationship, but it wasn't a good one. I was living for my parents' and my friends' approval. My conduct wasn't based on God. My relationship with God consisted solely of praying for his help at a time of weakness. He'd break me down, and I'd relent. It wasn't until I started becoming involved in the FCA at MAC that I really took notice of this selfish relationship, and I started to make changes. I really feel like, even though I had been "saved" and did all the Christian things, God has changed me more in the last three years, than he had in the first 18. Now, I'm a leader in Macalester FCA, and my relationship with God is much more a mutual one (although I can never love Him as much as He loves me). Today I'd like to publicly confirm my faith through baptism.