Bodmin Moor, an iconic and rugged landscape in North Cornwall, has recently develop into a site for inspired Christian renewal through outdoor river baptisms.
Earlier this month, on Sunday 15 September, an enthusiastic congregation of about ninety gathered at Delphy Bridge on the De Lank River to witness a series of baptisms, marking the second such Christian ceremony this yr.
The unique event was a part of the ‘Moorland Church’ initiative, launched by Rev Robin Thwaites at the peak of community isolation throughout the Covid pandemic.
Rev Thwaites, the rector of the Camelside Benefice, which covers six distant villages on Bodmin Moor, leads a ministry that stretches across this rugged landscape, serving scattered rural communities. This cold river approach goals to attach these communities with their faith within the stunning natural setting of the moor.
“People live and work out on the moors, and to have the opportunity to include that into this very special service is just wonderful,” Thwaites remarked, emphasising the importance of the situation for local worshippers.
The river baptism drew participants desirous to embrace this ancient Christian rite in a context that held deep meaning for them.
Nicolas Cuming was the primary to enter the chilly waters. “That’s cold!” he gasped before being fully submerged completely. Emerging shivering from the river, he described the experience to BBC South West as “amazing!”
He added later, “The whole experience – getting within the water, sitting down, getting dunked backwards, then coming back up again – was unbelievable.”
His wife, Nichola, and their 4 children watched from the bank, and he or she noted the joy the event dropped at their family. “They are all used to going to the church; it is a bit more exciting than our normal Sunday service, so spirits are actually high,” she said, mentioning that the youngsters had been promised a probability to paddle within the river in the event that they behaved throughout the ceremony.
Standing within the river, Thwaites shared his vision for the ‘Moorland Church’.
“All the time we now have had those services, I even have been taking a look at the water, pondering, ‘I want to make use of this, I want to see if we will get some baptisms done.'”
After securing special permission from the regional bishop and archdeacon, he organised the baptisms, which received an enthusiastic response from the community.
“When I put the word out, people were just over the moon; they really wanted to come back and be baptised within the river meaning a lot to them,” he explained.
This integration of religion and the natural landscape reflects a big shift within the narrative surrounding Bodmin Moor, once related to the dark tales of smuggling and treachery present in du Maurier’s classic novel ‘Jamaica Inn’. Today, the moor serves as a logo of hope and community spirit, a spot where locals can experience their faith in an environment that resonates deeply with them.
Looking ahead, this growing Cornish congregation has expressed a desire to carry the following baptism service in warmer weather next summer, encouraging much more locals and holidaymakers to take part in this memorable call to Christian faith.
As the service drew to a detailed, Nicolas Cuming reflected, “It is a bit bit chilly this afternoon, I’m not going to lie – it took all the pieces for me to get into that water, but I’m glad I did.”
Thwaites added, “There’s something very special about having a baptism within the parish church, within the font, but equally, actually here, the land is so vital to this area.”
