The congregation of Friendship Baptist, Gresham, held groundbreaking and dedication services for their new fellowship hall April 9. Participants included pastor Scott Collins, members of the building steering committee, and deacons.
On March 17, five men left Florence Baptist Association for a weeklong evangelistic mission trip to Romania, where the association has partnered with the Baptist Church of Piatra-Neamt and has sent evangelistic and medical mission teams for several years. Co-led by Frank Gribble, pastor of College Park Baptist Church, Florence, and pastor Jim Hewitt, pastor of Pamplico Baptist Church, the team visited a daycare center for the handicapped run by the Piatra-Neamt church and conducted Bible studies during the day at the church. At night, the group divided into teams and held worship services in some of the smaller villages – some of which had small, established churches, while others had “home churches.” The team went to a gypsy village and conducted worship in the homes of some of the Christian gypsies. They also conducted home visitation for the Piatra-Neamt church. From left to right: Craig Tedder, pastor, Coward Baptist Church, Coward; Gribble; Kenneth Butler, deacon, First Baptist Church, Pamplico; Hewitt; and Harvey Putnam, deacon, First Baptist Church, Pamplico.
Mont Clare Baptist Church, Darlington, held “Women’s Day” April 30. Betty James was director of the event. All the women wore hats, and the service consisted of personal testimonies, special singing, and worship – all done by women. Several ladies from a sister church – Welsh Neck Baptist in Society Hill – also joined in the services.
On Sunday, April 29, Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Greenwood hosted the Lakelands Baptist Association Bible Drill. Children and youth from six of the 48 churches in the association participated. There were 28 children who competed in the Children’s Drill; 24 of the children advanced to the State Drill on Saturday, April 28, at First Baptist Church, Anderson. Six youth competed in the Youth Drill, with five advancing to the State Drill on Saturday, May 6, at St. Andrews Baptist in Columbia.
Robert Ridley of Camden was ordained to the ministry by Bethany Baptist Church, Westville. Pastor Stacey Hinson presents a certificate to Ridley as his wife Sandy looks on. Ridley, a student at South Atlantic Bible College, is music director at Bethany and teaches Bible study classes and Royal Ambassadors.
Members of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, Bowman, dedicated their new fellowship hall April 9. Mae Metts, the oldest member of the church, cuts the ribbon with the help of deacon chairman Raymond Dukes, right. Also pictured are Bob Fredrick, interim pastor; and deacons Gerald Summers, L.C. Bair, Greg Gruber, Al Metts, Robert Smoak and Boley Wimberly.
Local ministers recently came together to build a new house for Sharon and Dean Fox, a former pastor of Bowman Baptist Church, Bowman, who resigned after being diagnosed with lung cancer. At the groundbreaking: Kimmett Lee Lott, pastor, Providence Baptist; Clark McCrary III, pastor, Elloree Baptist; Sandy Atkinson, deacon, Bowman Baptist; Larry Williams, pastor, Rivelon Baptist and his grandson Payne Williams; Justin Eshelman, pastor, Mt. Carmel Baptist; and Sharon and Dean Fox.
Grace Baptist Church, Duncan, dedicated its newly remodeled sanctuary Feb. 5. With pastor Danny Monroe, far left, are (l to r) Fred Painter, Tom Holifield, Tim Holifield, James Allen and Jimmy Scarbro. In front are Mrs. Howell, an interior decorator from Taylors, and Paul Pack.
Charleston Southern University’s Wellness Team gave a T-shirt from the university’s new Wellness Program to keynote speaker Gov. Mark Sanford during CSU’s May 6 graduation. The program encourages healthy living among faculty and staff. From left: staff Rachel Phillips and Candiss Harp, Gov. Sanford, and faculty Susan Stewart and Jamie Probin.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Central, held groundbreaking for a new fellowship building on April 30. From left: Dode Holderman; Jerry and Sharon Chandler; pastor Alvin Crooks and his wife Doris; Lola and Emmett Tyree; Dee Kirkland; Johnny and Diane Elrod; and Colleen and Eddie McAbee and their son Alex. The historic, 158-year-old church began as a log structure about two and a half miles due east of its current location, where it has been since 1892. The wooden structure of 1892 was replaced with brick in 1945 and has since been remodeled.