Celebration in East Narembeen

Sabbath, August 5, 2023, was a very special day as Tahlia Ashmore was baptized at the East Narembeen Church by Pr. Malcolm Eastwick who some years before had baptized Tahlia's two older brothers Corey and Jake. Tahlia has grown up in this church where she was dedicated as a baby by Yonnie Willis.

She has played an active part in church, inspiring others with her creativity.  As well as her immediate family, Tahlia was joined by friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents who all came to help celebrate her baptism.  Tahlia comes from a family which has a long line of Seventh-day Adventists. Her great, great grandparents Sidney and Gertrude Ashmore were Sabbath keepers in the Narembeen District in the 1930s before a church was established. Her great, Grandfather Joseph Ashmore and his wife Glenice were married in 1947 and took up farming in the district.

As other believers moved into the district the families worshipped together in each other's homes. As the numbers grew, Joe's woolshed was used to accommodate the worshippers.

 In 1958 the new church was organized with 17 charter members. The following year on the 2nd of August 1959; 64 years ago, the East Narembeen Church was dedicated by Pr. Frank Maberly. As the years have passed there have been many baptisms, and many incoming church transfers. Sadly now, some have moved to other locations, but are active in their new church families. Some have been laid to rest. However, we are very much a united church family working together. Tahlia chose the hymn "We Have This Hope" for the Postlude of her baptism which aptly described the joy and hope of all present.