Four brave souls were baptised in the sea off a rainy Castle Beach in Tenby on Saturday, September 7.

A good crowd gathered to sing hymns and support the believers as each professed their faith before being fully immersed by Pastor Ian Rees, assisted by Dr Wiyu Simukonda. After the ceremony, the whole party made its way back to the Old Chapel for refreshments and a warm up.

Baptism by full immersion was common in the time of Jesus and the early church. Practised by Baptist, Pentecostal and many other evangelical churches around the world, the ritual is to some extent a picture of the burial and resurrection of Christ - although it primarily indicates personal repentance and an outward profession of faith.

The going down into the water symbolises dying to the old self; rising from the water symbolises renewal and cleansing - being ‘born again’. Matthew 28 records Jesus as instructing his disciples: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”