Pictured above: Alberto Ocana, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Northside in Hialeah, baptizes new believer in Christ during the Thanksgiving Day Worship service.

HIALEAH— During this year’s Thanksgiving celebration at Iglesia Bautista Northside, 23 individuals publicly expressed their faith in Christ through baptism, making it one of the church’s most memorable holiday events. Among these were seven young members from Northside English, the church’s English-language congregation led by Pastor Noel Morera.

One of the men baptized came to Northside English after Pastor Morera met him in the church parking lot. Initially a devout Jehovah’s Witness, he started meeting with Morera weekly to study the Gospel of John. Through these discussions and his increasing understanding of Jesus, he put his faith in Christ and publicly expressed his new life through baptism on Thanksgiving morning.

The day started early with church members assembling at Miami Beach’s South Pointe for their beloved annual sunrise service. With the sky gradually brightening over the Atlantic, the congregation came together to worship, express thanks for God’s faithfulness, and contemplate His influence in their lives.

Once the sun was fully risen, the church family came back to the Hialeah campus for a hearty breakfast and fellowship. The morning was alive with laughter, testimonies, and conversations before everyone assembled in the sanctuary for worship and a short message from Pastor Alberto Ocaña.

The 23 baptisms stood as a strong reminder of God’s continuous work through Iglesia Bautista Northside and its ministries. At the end of the service, Pastor Ocaña urged the congregation to enter the Christmas season with hearts filled with gratitude and obedience. His message was straightforward: “Be thankful, follow Christ, and serve Christ.”