Covenant News

Covenanter Chaplains Lead Baptism Service in Iraq

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (April 12, 2005) - Mike Gillett, an Evangelical Covenant Church minister and National Guard chaplain, led an Easter service in Baghdad in which 200 soldiers and civilians attended. The service included the baptism of 12 soldiers. Covenant chaplain Ryan Sarenpa, pictured, baptized six soldiers.

A battalion commander who was baptized said, "It took me 41 years to take this step, and now I am at the stage where I know I won't be leading a hypocritical life." Another soldier related, "A couple of times when in services it felt like someone was passing through me telling me to get saved, but I was always worried about what others would think. I was sitting in church a month and a half ago and it felt as though the words out of the chaplain's mouth were directed towards me, so I got saved."

Gillett is pastor of Salem Covenant Church in Duluth, MN; Sarenpa serves the Scranton Covenant Church in Kansas. Both were called up to active duty in 2004.    

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