Enoree Baptist Church, North Greenville Baptist Association, retired the debt on its $1.5 million multipurpose building Jan. 28. Burning the note are Mike Burns and Joel Burgess. The church used several phases initiated from the “Together We Build” program in the construction of the 22,000-square-foot facility.
Summerton Baptist Church hosted its 5th Annual Men’s Wild Game Supper March 15. The event is held on the farm of member Buck Bell. Approximately 1,400 men attended, with 58 men professing their faith in Christ and 62 men rededicating their lives. The event featured a message by Chuck McAlister, host of the “Adventure Bound Outdoors” television show on The Men’s Channel. The television show is a ministry of The Church at Crossgate Center, an SBC church near Hot Springs, Ark., where McAlister is senior pastor. Volunteers from Santee Baptist Association churches and others make this event possible, said Rob Pierce, senior pastor at Summerton Baptist.
A Pinewood Derby for GAs and RAs was held March 11 at Ocean View Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach. More than 80 people attended the missions event that featured GAs and RAs racing their handcrafted cars. Shelby Cole won the Overall Racing Award. Speaker Ron Bruce, chaplain at Myrtle Beach Raceway, told how he ministers in Jesus’ name to racecar drivers, pit crews, concession stand employees, and raceway fans.
L.E. Williamson, left, a student minister at First Baptist Church, Mauldin, drills while Chris Gillespie, a youth minister at First Baptist Church, Hickory Hill, N.C., maintains a firm grip on a sheet of drywall at a home damaged by floods following Hurricane Katrina. Williamson and Gillespie are volunteers with Operation New Orleans Area Home Rebuild, an effort to help 1,000 families return to their hurricane-damaged homes. Operation NOAH Rebuild is a partnership initiative between Southern Baptists and The Salvation Army. More than 6,000 volunteers have participated in the program since its inception. Work will continue year-round through August 2008.
The GAs at Lamar First Baptist Church, Welsh Neck Baptist Association, hosted the Forever Young Program for February. The girls and their leaders, along with Bob Shoemake, chief cook, prepared a chicken bog luncheon for the senior adults. Approximately 55 people attended the event. Williams Meggs and Jessie Lee Hancock were voted king and queen. Anita Poole, leader, and the GAs gave a devotional from 1 Corinthians 13, and afterwards the girls sang. Becky Shoemake ended the program singing “The Rose,” while the girls presented the ladies with roses and the men with Valentine candy. From left (first row): Jessica Thomas, Jessie Lee Hancock, William Meggs, Morgan Warr and Taylor Grooms; (second row) Becky Shoemake, Heather Stephens, leader Anita Poole, Kelly Reynolds, Tristen Tate, Linda O’Neal, Allison Windham and Debbie Jackson.
Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church, Union, recognized six girls in the Girls in Action program March 18. During the evening ceremony, the girls shared information about Annie Armstrong and received patches they had earned throughout the year. From left are Lauren Mullis, Leah Wilson, Ashley Brock, Ashlyn Wilburn, Cara Guinn, and Hannah Wilson. GA leaders are director Brenda Whitmire, Margaret May and Beth Grady. With them is pastor Carrol Caldwell, who said he is proud of these girls and their commitment to missions.
Youth from Nebo Baptist Church, Britton’s Neck, have been visiting the senior citizens of the community. The group recently visited Miss Edna Richardson, and presented her a gift of sugar-free candies. Cindy Dennis is the youth director.
Calvary Baptist Church, Lancaster, began the AWANA program in September 2006 with only one prospective member. Attendance now averages 14 children on Wednesday nights, with two girls recently accepting Christ.
Five Moriah Baptist Association churches – Taylors Grove, Rich Hill, Jones Cross Roads, Glenwood Heights, and Sherwood in Lancaster – participated in the association’s first annual “prayer vigil” on Feb. 17. Sponsored by the WMU, a group of 40 people gathered at Lancaster High School to pray for its students and teachers in the Lancaster area. Then the group traveled to First Presbyterian Church and prayed for all of the churches in Lancaster. The next stop was City Hall, where Dennis Belcher, chairman of deacons at Taylors Grove, prayed for the city and its officials. The prayer vigil ended at the county office building where fire chief Chris Nunnery prayed for county officials, county employees, firemen, EMTs, etc. The City of Lancaster has presented the group with a proclamation thanking the churches for their prayers, and has asked the Baptist churches to make this a semi-annual event – once in the fall and once in the spring.