Saint Thomas River Park Hospital has fulfilled a terminally ill patient’s desire to be baptized.
Pastor Jeff Kesley of Campaign Church of God performed the brief ceremony in a hospital therapy tub. Kesley and the hospital have both declined to identify the elderly woman out of privacy concerns, but Kesley told the Standard the baptism was emotional.
“This is such a touching story,” said Kesley. “Without a miracle from the Lord, medically speaking, she’s not looking at a lot of time left. The hospital said they could accommodate us for the baptism so we met with her and we prayed with her. It was a joy for me to be part of this.”
The baptism took place Monday afternoon. Since a video was posted online, it has gained attention from all over Middle Tennessee. Kesley said he’s even been contacted by TV show “The 700 Club.”
Kesley’s involvement was by happenstance. He serves as one of several volunteer chaplains at the hospital. He was the preacher on duty last Friday when the patient expressed her desire to be baptized.
“I met with her and we talked,” said Kesley. “It was something where she had been baptized a long time ago as a little girl and she wanted to be baptized again.”
The hospital baptism was a first for Kesley, who has been pastor at Campaign Church of God since 2010 and a pastor for over 20 years.
“I’ve done some very unique baptisms in ponds, creeks, swimming pools,” said Kesley. “This hospital baptism was a first for me.”
A video of the baptism is available on the Campaign Church of God Facebook page.