A New Beginning

It finally arrived! The weekend we had been waiting for. Br. Jerry Eaton had arrived on request and everything was in readiness. Why? Following a crisis we, a little company of believers, found ourselves discarded from the church we loved and after much investigation and prayer we felt it was of the Lord to make a stand and join the International Missionary Society.

Some of us were convicted of our need for re-baptism and others felt the Lord’s call to accept the right hand of fellowship with God’s last day church.

On Friday 9th March 2001 we made our way east of Perth to the Tuckers property at Toodyay, Western Australia. There we settled in tents and caravans on the rocky highlands overlooking scenic views of the surrounding countryside. As the golden ball melted into the western horizon we gathered in the “upper room” (the top floor of Tucker’s partly built home) to open the Sabbath. The room was delightfully decorated with a freshly painted backdrop of the new earth prayerfully painted by Sister Rose. Sister Brenda artistically arranged the beautiful flowers of white with a touch of red to symbolise Christ’s righteousness and his spilt blood.

The sound of the whistling wind coming over the hill reminded us of the rushing of the mighty wind as it came upon the disciples at Pentecost. The theme of the camp was “Sing a New Song Unto the Lord.” Brother Eaton opened the Sabbath with a exposition on heaven’s music within our hearts and voices being blended together both before and after with praise to His Holy Name.

After a turbulent, windy night the day dawned into a crystal blue sky complimented with a cool breeze. Br. Lance Tucker led us in song with his deep bass voice and Br. John Thiel took us through a wonderful lesson of Christ’s Righteousness in Man, highlighting the quote found in ISM 341. “Through the union of the divine with the human nature, Christ could enlighten the understanding and infuse His life giving properties through the soul dead in trespasses and sin.”

The sermon began at 11.30 with Br. Eaton speaking on Ps 98:1-4: “O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

An abundance of delicious food was laid out for our combined lunch and the cool breeze made for a lovely relaxing time of general fellowship.

The object of our afternoon meeting taken by Br. Jerry was to discuss and sharpen our minds on topics such as Baptism, Marriage, Communion and Last day events. With our hearts already full we came to the closing of the Sabbath hours and after a study on conversion by Br. John our hearts were well and truly overflowing with praise and gratitude to our God for giving us a deepening experience in Him.

Sunday, March llth began crisp and chilly but soon warming to a very pleasant temperature for baptism. Families coming for the day arrived nice and early. Br. Lance led out with praise in song and at 10 o’clock we all moved down to the waters edge for the baptism.

Br. Roy, who was the first to be baptised surprised us all at the very last moment when he realised he could not give his testimony unless he was re-baptised, and so the number being baptised turned to 4.

Br. John had often expressed his regret in not being rebaptised and now his time had come – we were all so happy for him. The Baptism was conducted from oldest to youngest which was providential because Sr. Chris’s son, nephew and friends had gotten lost along the way and to her joy they arrived just as she was walking down into the water. Br. Glen Higgins was last to be re-baptised following the footsteps of his grandfather, Br. Roy Tucker. Following the baptisms, from 10:30 to 12:30 was the highlight of the entire weekend. Twenty eight people gathered once again in the upper room. Great joy filled our hearts as 3 others accepted the right hand of fellowship and together with the 4 that were baptised gave their testimonies. Many tears of gratitude were shed as each one gave their story of how the Lord intervened in their lives and bought them through to this point – “passages in life” as Jerry had said in the opening Sabbath meeting. And now we were 7 (the perfect number).

After a scrumptious lunch we waved farewell to family and friends and then proceeded back to have our first business meeting to select officers for our new church company. Little did most of us know there was yet another surprise! What happiness filled our hearts as our number turned to 8 when Sr. Dawn decided she could not be left behind and Br. Jerry extended the right hand of fellowship to her. Now we are 8 – a new beginning!

Just like Noah and his family as they stepped out of the ark and offered sacrifice as thanks to God for preserving them and carrying them to a new beginning we also came together in our first communion eating unleavened bread and drinking new wine to commemorate our deliverance from sin and oneness in Him. A delicious fruit dinner gave us renewed energy to collect our things, bid farewell to each other and head off home. It was truly a weekend never to be forgotten. Now we press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:14)
AMEN.

Sr. Chris Godfrey and Sr. Carol Higgins (Sisters in the faith and cousins, too).
Australia