Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

by Sandra Doran
Twelve people entered the waters of baptism at Kress Memorial Church in Winter Park, Fla., at the conclusion of a six-week evangelistic series held by Lester Pratt, Florida Conference evangelist. Each candidate was clearly brought to the congregation by a series of unique miracles.
Helen Wright lived across the street and began attending Dinner at Kress on Wednesday evenings. Shortly afterward, she was joined by her children and grandchildren, and it wasn’t long before they decided to attend church. Today, the family takes up two pews each Sabbath, and three of Helen’s grandchildren are attending school at Orlando Junior Academy.
Carmen Castro was originally a member of a church renting from Kress Memorial on Sunday mornings. She slipped into her customary pew on a Saturday instead of Sunday one week, determined to find out what the seventh-day Sabbath was all about. After a few weeks, she joined a Sabbath School class and requested Bible studies. Her friend, José Candelario, joined her at church two weeks later, and they began earnestly studying the Bible. Within a month, José was reunited with his three teenage sons who enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to join their father at church. When the evangelistic campaign began, Carmen, José, and his three boys attended every evening, and all five were baptized.
A few months before the meetings, Mauri Barnett and his girlfriend, Kyla Riordan, became convicted of the Sabbath. They both began observing Sabbath along with Kyla’s son and two daughters and Mauri’s son and daughter. After finding Kress Memorial’s online church service, they tuned in one Saturday to Pastor Eric Doran’s sermon on Sabbath observance.
“It’s like he was speaking directly to us,” said Mauri. “We changed our way of worshiping that very day. We started getting out into nature, spending time with the children, and pointing out God’s hand in creation.”
After receiving a flyer in the mail, the two families attended the evangelistic series. The two eldest children were baptized, and they will be joined soon by Mauri and Kyla who plan to marry.
Elizee Daniel and Judith Gopie also decided to marry as a result of their commitment to Christ. Elizee reconnected with his Adventist background and Judith was baptized.
Aric Patrick discovered the meetings when he received a flyer in the mail.
Raoul Campoverde, the brother of a church member, had been taking Bible studies from Bible worker Mike Shellong.
Liz Clifton heard about the scheduled baptism at the meetings from Shellong. Due to terminal cancer plaguing her life with uncertainty, she earnestly requested permission to immediately join the baptismal group. Pastor Doran consented and Liz was baptized on Sabbath evening. “This is the best decision I have ever made,” she said. “The water feels wonderful. I know I am in God’s hands. I can feel His peace all around me.”
The congregation was moved to tears and then broke into applause. Liz came out of the water with a glow of radiance, all thoughts of cancer held in abeyance for the moment, delighted to be sealed with God’s people.
Two months later, Pastor Doran performed Liz’s funeral service, followed by a dinner provided by the Kress Memorial Church family. Liz’s witness lives on through the spiritual interest of her daughters. Meanwhile, Kress Memorial continues reaching out in the community with more baptisms planned.