Churches Celebrate Easter Sunday with Sea Baptisms Across Torbay

Christians from across Torbay gathered along its beaches on Easter Sunday for a series of sea baptisms.

Church leaders from around 12 churches of different denominations took to the water to baptise people who decided to make this public commitment to Christian faith.

There were around 25 people baptised at Torre Abbey Sands and about 20 people baptised at Paignton beach.

The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev’d James Grier, said “On Easter Sunday, we celebrate that Jesus defeated death and rose again so that we might have new life in him. What better day for people to be baptised and publicly declare their faith in Christ. And what better context than in the sea with different churches across the Bay. New faith, new beginnings, new life!”

It is traditional for baptisms to take place on Easter Sunday after the 40 days of Lent preparation.

Water is an integral part of baptism, representing Jesus’ own baptism in the River Jordan. Although practises vary across different Christian denominations, for all, it symbolises death and new life and being washed clean.

Katie Evans from St Mags Church in Torquay was one of those baptised at Torre Abbey Sands, she said “I’ve been seeking Jesus my entire life and I’ve been looking in all the wrong places. Finally, that door opened up for me, I found the Lord, so here I am! I feel elated, so blessed – I could cry and laugh at the same time!”

Rev Sam Leach, vicar at St Mags in Torquay, said “It’s just been joyful, because this is a part of their journey of faith and some of them will come from some very dark places, so to walk alongside them in their journey of faith and to see them come to baptism or reaffirmation of their baptism on this Easter day is just an immense privilege.”

Although infant and adult baptisms often happen in church buildings, a number of churches across Devon offer baptisms in the sea or rivers.

The Easter Sunday baptisms took place after Easter Sunday services at the individual churches.

Rev Simon Clay, Minister at Upton Vale Baptist church in Torquay, said “I’m really excited because this is a celebration of lives that have been transformed by Jesus, and we’re entering into 2,000 years of Jesus transforming people’s lives, bringing them from death into life and giving them the opportunity to be a witness to him.

What an amazing witness this will be for all the people that we’re called to serve and to introduce to Jesus.”