Hillview Church in Morisset, NSW, celebrated the baptism of Hannah Tasker and Shila Drury on May 24. The two have been best friends since Year 2 at Toronto Adventist School.
Despite Miss Tasker’s family moving to the USA three years ago, the friends have maintained their close bond through online communication.
The baptism ceremony was specifically arranged to coincide with the Tasker family’s visit to Australia, fulfilling the young women’s wish to be baptised together. Dr David Tasker, Hannah’s grandfather, led the service, which included performances by the Junior and Earliteens (JETS) Sabbath school class. The service also featured a performance of He Knows My Name by the two friends, complemented by a slideshow of their lives.
Family members and significant adults in the girls’ lives shared words of affirmation during the service. Pastor Lesley Ncube, Hillview church pastor, delivered a sermon that emphasised the meaning of baptism and encouraged the young women to continue their spiritual journey.
Before their baptism, Miss Drury and Miss Tasker shared their personal testimonies, which were read by family members. “It was clear from these testimonies that both young ladies understood their baptism to be a public witness to their love for Jesus and of their desire to follow and serve Him for the rest of their lives,” said church clerk Merle Cozens.
