Pastor Victor Cheek burns the mortgage at Shaw Heights Baptist Church, Sumter. Congregation members looking on included Mr. and Mrs. Don Christian, Joyce Nelms, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Miller, Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Sohrweid, Mr. and Mrs. Terry Auld, Jinda Ashworth, Millie Eudy, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Cress, and many others who helped to pay off the annex.
Members of First Baptist Church, Lockhart, are shown as they prepare to distribute “Boxes of Love” to homebound members and those less fortunate in the community. A list of non-perishable items to be collected was posted each month in the church’s newsletter. During the month of December, the items were then boxed for church members to deliver while singing Christmas carols. A total of 15 boxes were delivered as a result of the project, which was sponsored by the church’s WMU.
Coosawhatchie Baptist Church, Ridgeland, which was founded in 1941, held homecoming Nov. 11, 2007. Jackie Huey and Nada Williams were given plaques of recognition for 60 years of faithful membership, and the first page in the new church family album was dedicated in their honor. Pictured are (back row, l to r) deacons David Barton Sr., Lavarn Lucas and Tony Branch Sr.; (front row) Huey and Williams.
Bobby Richardson, former New York Yankees player, is shown with the youth group of Nebo Baptist Church, Britton’s Neck. Richardson and his wife Betsy visited Nebo last October, where they spoke to the congregation. Cindy Dennis is youth director at Nebo.
The Mission Friends and youth of Pine Ridge First Baptist Church, Hartsville, helped raise $717 for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering with crafts that the children made. Each star on the tree represents $10.
Mary Williams was recognized Dec. 9 by First Baptist Church, Abbeville, for 60 consecutive years of teaching in the Sunday school department. The department presented her with a certificate of recognition and donated $100 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in her honor. With Williams is Barry Jacks, Sunday school director.?
JAM (Jesus and Me) Children’s Ministry at Springdell Baptist Church, Lancaster, went on their first “mission trip” to Morningside Assisted Living Home on Dec. 15.?They sang Christmas carols,?visited the residents, and gave out Christmas ornaments.?Afterward, they visited all of the homebound members of the church,?delivering ornaments, cards and Christmas cheer.?
The KidLink Group from Graham Baptist Church, Sumter (right), visited shut-ins at nursing homes Dec. 19. They sang carols and gave gift cards with their pictures to each resident. KidLink is a part of a new program, “Connection,” begun by pastor John Patrick. Jean Holladay, Barbara Reynolds and Gail Waynick assist the group. At left, several kids visit with O’Neil Wilder, the group’s adopted grandparent, who kept Sunday school records for 57 years at the church.
Cedar Shoals Baptist Church, Belton, packed 514 shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child this past year. From left are Jimmy Chapman, Peggy Reid, Dottie Smith, Carolyn Chapman, Wanda Cothran and Pat Boyce, who loaded the boxes for delivery.
When the children of Praters Creek Baptist Church, Pickens, learned that the food pantry at United Christian Ministries was nearly empty, they took action by collecting food for a month from church members. Additionally, they performed chores to buy food and even gave up planned activities for the month of November, using that money to purchase more food items. On Nov. 10, they delivered a total of 430 items to United Christian Ministries, a fourth of it provided by the children themselves.
WMU director Laura Hinds and Essie Looper of Mountain Grove Baptist Church, Pickens-Twelve Mile Association, packaged 300 caps, which were contributed by six women of the church for delivery to the Seafarer’s Ministry in Charleston.
Evergreen Baptist Church, Effingham, held its annual church barbecue Jan 4. The men of the church braved freezing early morning weather to prepare the meat, which consisted of a 150-pound pig and two turkeys. The women provided the sides.