Features:

Quad Squad

Ministry to Ohio family is labor of love

If baptisms are like horse racing, Keith A. Hunsinger, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Oak Harbor, Ohio, has run the triple crown. Make that the quadruple.

In his two and a half years at St. John, he’s baptized twins, triplets and now quadruplets at this year’s Easter Vigil.

Members of St. John Lutheran Church, Oak Harbor, Ohio (back row), were called into Quad Squad ministry. It’s an understatement to say Tony and Shannon Hand need a “hand” dealing with 3-year-old twins and quadruplets. The family includes: Grandma Jan Meinke (left) with Everett Joseph; Emma Hand; Shannon Hand with Isabel Grace and Olivia Justine; Connor Hand; Anaya Cantu (Shannon’s niece); and Amy Cantu with Madison Claire.

“I’m scared to death for one of the couples to get pregnant this fall,” he joked. “Who knows what could happen?”

Longtime St. John members Shannon and Tony Hand are responsible for keeping their congregation of 2,100 busy. Very busy. The newest Hands—Madison Claire, Everett Joseph, Isabel Grace and Olivia Justine—were born within four minutes of each other on Dec. 9, 2007. But that’s not all, Shannon and Tony are also parents to 3-year-old twins Connor and Emma.

The rest of this article is only available to subscribers.