Wellsprings of Joy: Baptism Friends and fellow students gathered at the chapel. Families joined.

A brown tub was filled with water. Select people were wearing shorts. This was the setting on November 10, 2013. Select students had made the personal decision to commit themselves to Christ publically. After that decision, they approached Chaplain Kuhn and asked for a baptismal service. They were rewarded. After a powerful worship session which put the entire service in the mood, Chaplain Kuhn proceeded with the ceremony. He offered the podium to those who were getting baptized to share a bit about their journey and their decision, then reminded the attendants to remember their baptismal, and re-commit themselves. Five students were baptized that night. They were all smiles, hardly able to contain their excitement. They shared moments in prayer with friends before and after the ceremony, encouraging words, and many laughs. Storm Chaser got to celebrate with Anna Johnson and Cassandra Wiseley beforehand, sharing hugs and prayers and encouraging words. Another of the students to be baptized stated: Im just so excited! It will be wonderful! Spectators (both friends and family) were able to welcome those baptized after their submersion. The receiving aisle was full with friends, fellow students, and families. They welcomingly embraced all of the baptized students, whispering prayers, words of encouragement, and congratulations. No one seemed to care that they were wetthey were all grinning and crying, happy for the outward statement their friends and families had made. To affirm that happiness, one student put it this way: Baptism is a time of happiness. Its a time of seeing students go even deeper with God than before. Its very cool to watch. They go underwater for a second and then come back up a totally new person! Its written all over their faces Student Chaplain Ana Kaufman explained the goal of the service to Storm Chaser. *the goal+ for Baptisms was to celebrate with five people who wanted to make a public statement, she continued, Its not about the number. Baptism celebrates Christ, and how He affected them individually. Storm Chaser asked Ana what sheas an individualwanted to see through the baptisms. Celebration, she stated. *See that+ joy can be infectious, and *to see+ others overwhelmed by joy. I was anticipating joy! Over the week following the ceremony, Storm Chaser caught up with some of the students who were baptized. Johnny Youngblood stated that: God has grown my faith in Him immensely following my baptism. Although the last week [after the baptism] has not been easy, His peace and presence have been overwhelming. Baptism was more than a statement of faith to me. It was a giant step into a new level of following God.

The baptism left Anna Johnson speechless, literally. Theres really no way to explain it. I feelreally free. Freer than I was. I guess the change in me is really indescribablebut there is a change, definitely! In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded: authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Crown has done so; baptizing students and helping them make a statement of their faith. So, students that were baptizedwe, as the Crown bubble, continue to rejoice with you, as this truly is a time to. to laugh.and a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:4).