After services on October 6th the Rebelo family and witnesses from the BP Family met at Crescent Park beach. On a beautiful fall afternoon on the shore of Narragansett Bay, we heard the family declare their commitment to following Jesus together, profess their faith and be baptized. Join us in celebrating by reading their baptism stories below, and join us in covering this family in prayer as they take this important step.
Tiago’s Story
Growing up, faith was always present in my life, though not always understood. My parents, devout Catholics, made sure I attended church and received the sacraments. As a child, I went through the motions, following what was expected of me, but without truly grasping the depth of what it all meant. In my heart, I wasn’t fully committed because I didn’t know better at the time. It felt more like a tradition than a personal relationship with God. As I got into my teenage years the church, faith, and God became more distant, as life’s distractions and my own search for identity took over. I no longer felt as connected to my faith that I grew up with. I looked for meaning and fulfillment elsewhere, only to come up short, time and time again. But God had other plans. As an adult, I began to feel a pull in my heart, a call to return, to seek something greater than myself. I was tired of searching for peace in things that never truly satisfied. I wanted a deeper connection. Slowly, I found my way back to faith, but this time it was different. This time, it was personal. It wasn’t about my parents beliefs or following traditions I was making the choice for myself. The choice to be baptized making a commitment to live a life of faith, to follow Jesus, and to serve. This is the beginning of a new chapter, one rooted not in childhood obligation, but in a personal, life changing relationship with God.
Angela’s Story
My story began in childhood, where I didn’t have the easiest life, but amidst the challenges and hardships my mother found a friend in a woman who became what I call a “godmother” to me. She became an important figure, helping to cultivate my early belief in Jesus. For a time, faith gave me comfort and direction, but as I entered my teenage years, things began to change.
The pressure of having to grow up too quickly, living a life I was too young to live, and navigating the ups and downs of those important years—caused me to drift away from the church. God and faith seemed distant, and I prayed mostly when I needed something, holding onto my belief but not fullly living it out. I believed in Jesus but I didn’t walk with him as I should have.
Shortly after, I began a life of my own with children and love but also heartbreak and loss. Through out the years I’ve felt more and more like something was missing. I wanted to do better, especially for my children, to give them a foundation in faith and something I felt I had lost along the way. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, God was still working in my life, even during the years I felt most disconnected, planting seeds that would eventually grow. Slowly, those seeds led me back to church and back to God. Now, after reconnecting with my faith, I feel a sense of peace and wholeness that I had long been searching for, and I can now give that gift of faith to my children.
Ricky’s Story
Before Jesus, I was a normal kid who just wanted to play video games all the time. I was always interested in a lot of different things and one day my parents took me to church. Church and Jesus soon became one of the things that interested me the most out of anything ever. Learning about Jesus made me want to be more like him. I found a new kind of happiness at church. Since I started walking with Jesus, I’ve never been happier. I want to continue that happiness and continue to learn and grow with Jesus.