A MODEL, Emma McKay, who describes herself on her website as using "many styles including Commercial, Fashion and Glamour through to tasteful Artistic Nude", has spoken of how finding Christ has brought her "happiness, peace and love that is greater than all", as she was baptised in the sea near her home in Cornwall.
Ms McKay, who is 29, was baptised by the Revd Mike Marshall, Vicar of Holy Trinity, St Austell, where she is now a member of the congregation and helps to run its junior church.
She was baptised by full immersion in the sea at Porthpean last week, alongside other baptismal candidates and members of the congregation who were renewing their baptismal vows.
In a written testimony, Ms McKay — who has been photographed for "lads’ mags", as well as national newspapers — said that she had always felt that there was "a presence protecting me" during her wild years as a teenager, and in her early twenties.
A serious car crash 18 months ago made her want to start going to church, but "I didn’t know where to start," she said. Her partner suggested that she speak to Steve Double, who is now the MP for St Austell, and Mr Double sent her to Mr Marshall.
Mr Marshall said: "Emma came with her partner, Neil, and we talked about what getting baptised meant. As I explained Christianity to her, she said it just all made sense. She came and did an Alpha course, and then asked again about being baptised.
"Because we are so close to the sea, and there were others wanting to be baptised, one lovely evening we took them to the beach to baptise them. We have always been happy to do baptism by immersion for people, and to renew the baptismal vows for people who were baptised as infants.
"It is lovely that Emma has been able to share her story and testimony."
Ms McKay said: "It’s an honour to be accepted the way I have by everyone from Holy Trinity, and the care, love, and support has been amazing. At first I thought, is this for real? Can this be true? I’ve never experienced this before, and no one wants or expects anything in return.
"By finding Christ and following Jesus, I have now been able to start letting go of the past, and I’m finally finding the real me, happiness, peace, and love that is greater than all."