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Spectators--young and old--watch from Old Mill Park as fireworks illuminate the sky over Fredericksburg and southern Stafford last night.
Pastors Todd Gaston (far left) and Al Lawson (with his hand in the air) baptize Hunter Resh of North Stafford |
Less than a year after being released from prison, Chris Van Steinburg stepped into a livestock tank filled with nearly 300 gallons of water.
As the 24-year-old born-again Christian sat down in the water, Pastor Todd Gaston locked eyes with him and smiled.
Steinburg gripped Gaston's forearm and thanked him.
"Based upon your profession of faith, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," Gaston said as he put his left hand on Steinburg's back.
Steinburg then leaned back, plunging his head underwater. Gaston quickly pulled him from the 3-foot-deep tank as hundreds of members of Mount Ararat Baptist Church in North Stafford applauded.
Yesterday morning, four pastors baptized about 40 people--despite the gray skies and intermittent rain--in the church's first-ever Independence Day open-air baptismal service.
Later in the day, Mount Ararat hosted a 30-minute fireworks show for the public. Pyrotechnics also lit up the city of Fredericksburg and southern Stafford, Colonial Beach, Quantico Marine Corps Base, Culpeper and Fauquier County.
But those who ventured to Mount Ararat Baptist Church were entertained the entire day.
Anthony Campbell, a King George County native who won the NBC "Today" show's Superstar contest, sang before and after the mass baptisms.
By mid-afternoon, a grassy field near the church was transformed into a child's dreamland, complete with rides, costumed characters and hot dogs. Parents watched as their children sampled about a dozen activities--from boxing to rock climbing.
Papa Doo Run Run, a classic rock band from California, performed on stage just before the fireworks began bursting in the air at 9:30 p.m.
Steinburg, who lives in North Carolina, volunteered to be a security guard at the festivities. Since his parents live in Stafford, he makes the six-hour drive to Mount Ararat about three times a month.
Steinburg--whose arms are covered with tattoos--said he's thankful the people at Mount Ararat have accepted him.
"Everybody is just happy you're doing the right thing," he said.
Six years ago, Steinburg had vowed never to return to church again. Members of a church in North Carolina had judged him by his appearance, he said.
"They don't judge by looks here," Steinburg said.
Eleven-year-old Hunter Resh was baptized in the same metal tank as Steinburg. To ensure that he understood the meaning of the day's events, Hunter took a baptism class at the church earlier in the week.
He was baptized today, after a year of begging his parents.
"It's was very touching," David Resh, his dad, said. "A father couldn't want anything more."
At Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg, the only breeze blowing across the grounds yesterday evening was the one from 3-year-old Kahleb Steinbach's twirling body.
After his aunt, Terry Steinbach, swung him around in a circle dangling by his feet, Kahleb came back for more, this time asking Mommy.
"Swing me!" the rambunctious tyke said to his mother, Pat Fallon, as she sat comfortably in a lawn chair listening to the sounds of rock band Four Barrel.
"I think we get more tired than he does," Teresa said.
The Fredericksburg family had gathered in the park yesterday afternoon to pass the time before the July Fourth fireworks show. They joined others who came out for the second annual "Rock in the Park" celebration despite suffocating humidity and looming rain clouds.
Four Barrel went on stage around 7 p.m. after a half-hour rain delay. They entertained the crowd with original material and covers of classic rock songs.
Across the lawn, away from the stage, Brenda and Bill Sulak of Manassas sought shelter underneath a tree grove in case it started raining. They came prepared with rain jackets and umbrellas.
"If it happens, it happens," Brenda said.
Her husband was a bit more optimistic. A little rain wouldn't hurt anyone, he said, as long as there were fireworks.
The traditional display usually draws about 10,000 people to the area's riverfront parks and nearby side streets from which the fireworks can be seen.
In Pratt Park across the Rappahannock River, Emily Emandian, 17, of Tullahoma, Tenn., broke the silence in between the pops and buzzes with her rendition of the national anthem soon after the fireworks show began.
Emandian was soon joined in song by fellow high school students involved in a program called People to People, a 10-day law summit in Washington.
The group of about 200 students from all over the country traveled to Fredericksburg from the nation's capital to see the show. Originally, they had planned to see the big fireworks show on the National Mall. But program officials decided to change those plans out of concern that Washington could be the target of a terrorist attack over the Independence Day weekend, students said.
To reach JEFF BRANSCOME: 540/374-5000, ext. 5710
