By Gary Lloyd
CLAY — Courtney Barnett hasn’t been able to take her eyes off the video.
In a month’s time, she’s watched it about 30 times, an average of once per day.
The video, recorded by a friend, shows Barnett and her husband, Jeremy, easing into Cosby Lake in Clay on Aug. 9 with Clayridge Baptist Church Pastor Ron Hudgens. Hudgens baptizes the couple in the lake.
“It was an amazing spiritual day,” Barnett said.
Courtney and Jeremy Barnett celebrate their baptism in Clay’s Cosby Lake with Clayridge Baptist Church Pastor Ron Hudgens.
submitted photo
The Barnetts began attending Clayridge Baptist Church in early March. They decided not long after to get baptized. But early in the morning on July 5, the church, located on Old Springville Road across from Deerfoot Parkway in Clay, caught fire. The fire was to the left side of the structure, an area mostly storing office materials. That area sustained heavy fire and smoke damage. Heat and smoke damage permeated throughout the church, including the sanctuary.
In the aftermath of the fire, Hudgens called the couple, saying he had talked with city of Clay officials about holding the baptism at Cosby Lake. The Barnetts were on board.
“We thought it was the most amazing idea,” Barnett said. “I would have never come up with it.”
After a 10 a.m. service outside the church — some services have been held in the parking lot because of the fire — the Barnetts, family, close friends and some of the congregation caravanned to Cosby Lake.
“We had a big crowd,” Barnett said.
People driving down Old Springville Road saw what was happening. People walking for exercise around the gravel track circling the lake stopped to watch. People applauded when Hudgens eased the two under the water and brought them back up.
“Honestly, it was one of the happiest days of our lives, except for our wedding day,” Barnett said.
Barnett said she and her husband have enjoyed their time at Clayridge Baptist Church so far. They’re adopting through the Department of Human Resources, so the church held an adoption yard sale for them in April.
“They’ve been really awesome,” she said. “We’ve been very happy there.”
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
