The members of Bethel Baptist Church, Greenville, had a birthday party for Lillian Payne July 27. Her 99th birthday was July 31. She is still active in her church through Sunday school, worship services and WMU circle meetings.
Baptism was held at Mechanicsville Baptist Church, Darlington, July 27, for 11 people – which makes a total of 54 new Christians baptized there in 2008. Frankie Tanner is pastor of Mechanicsville.
J.R. and Yvonne McGee, from Iva, were awarded Campers on Mission Couple of the Year at the National Campers on Mission Rally held at Ft. Smith, Ark. The McGees are charter members of South Carolina Campers on Mission, formed in 1978. Over the years, they have been involved in many mission projects and have encouraged members of their church and community to be a part of missions. As members of Iva First Baptist Church, they have organized groups to help work in Mississippi and other locations. They both have been involved in mission projects from Alaska to Florida. This past year they participated in 11 projects, donating 1,213 hours of service. SCCOM is celebrating 30 years of being “on mission as we go” for the Lord. Its fall rally will be held Sept. 12-14 at Lakewood Campground, Myrtle Beach. For more information, contact Steve Grant, SCCOM president, at (843) 618-8059 or visit www.scbaptist.org.
Bethel Baptist Church, Greenville, honored two church secretaries for their longtime service. Pictured from left are Claudia Strutton, who served 35 years, and Linda Childers, who served 31 years. Sadly, six weeks after the special service honoring the women, Childers died on her 67th birthday from liver and breast cancer. Pictured, back row, from left: Gene Rollins, the former pastor of Bethel who hired Childers; current pastor Daniel Lee; and Dan Ray, former pastor who hired Strutton.
Members of the Dick Montgomery family, along with Russell Dean, left, chaplain at Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community, participated in a dedication service for 65 pew Bibles for Rasor Chapel. The Bibles were a gift in memory of the late Dick Montgomery given by his family.
Members of First Baptist Church, Iva, have had a busy summer. In July, more than 100 children in grades 1-5 participated in a week of music camp, under the direction of Darla Powell, where they played hand bells and learned sign language for the songs they sang. Youth and adult missions teams traveled to Nova Scotia, where they did construction work and served meals. Another team traveled to Puerto Rico, where they have worked in past years assisting hurricane victims. Some church members attended the Campers on Mission national rally at Ft. Smith, Ark., in June, followed by a work project to help a North American Mission Board church planter build a home in Irondale, Mo. The Campers on Mission also helped build a fellowship hall and classrooms for a church in Vonroe, Tenn.
Twenty-eight members from First Baptist Church, Pacolet, held a prayer walk Aug. 10 at Pacolet Elementary School. Kenny Blackwell, principal of the school, is pictured with the group.
A 17-member missions team from Holly Springs Baptist Church, Pickens, ministered in Moline, Ill., July 25-Aug. 2. The team conducted three backyard Bible clubs in area parks and Vacation Bible School at Northcrest Calvary Baptist Church. Eighteen children accepted Jesus as Savior. The team included (first row, l to r) Gwynne Chastain, Courtney Martin, Lacey Staton and Amanda Cooper; (second row) Pam Gravely, Julie Summey, Johnnie Newton, Blake Patterson and Brenda Martin; (third row) Casey Stewart, Evan Chastain, John Summey, Johnny Summey, Jake Stewart, Carolyn Durham, Pat Stewart and Libby Pimlott.
David Chastain was ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church, Clifton, July 27. He began duties Aug. 1 as pastor of Friends of Faith Baptist Church, Pacolet. Chastain and his wife Susan have two children, Jonathan and Emily, and live in Spartanburg. With Chastain, center, are Michael Bradley, pastor at Clifton First, and Jim Goodroe, DOM for Spartanburg County Baptist Network.
Jamestown Baptist Church, Conway, recently sponsored a mission trip to Belize. The 33-member team consisted of a construction team, a medical team, a VBS team and a witnessing team. Three homes for families living in very poor conditions were built; the medical team attended to patient needs in three villages; and the VBS team held morning and evening Bible school in two churches.
A chaplains commissioning service was held recently for Bobby Bird at Reedy Creek Baptist Church, Marion. Pictured with Bird, center, are his wife Sandy and pastor Daryl Floyd. Bird serves as a hospice chaplain in Florence at McLeod Health Community Hospice. He was endorsed by the North American Mission Board in February. The church – which is active in missions in the community, state and North America – had never commissioned one of its own members to missions service or to the ministry.
First Baptist Church Camden, recently held Vacation Bible School at Wateree Villa. Pictured at left is a group participating in a Sunday morning worship, which is held at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday as part of the Wateree Villa ministry.
Daniel Carroll, left, has been awarded a scholarship for $2,550 to South Eastern College by New Song Church, a newly established Southern Baptist church in Horry County. Presenting the check is pastor Kevin Lambert.
Faith Baptist Church, Savannah River Baptist Association, teamed up with Saluda Baptist Association for a week-long mission trip to Corbin, Ky. Attending from Faith are (l to r) Holly Mixson, Tiffannee Able, Genia Crosby, and pastor Bob Crosby.
Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church, Union, celebrated its 224th homecoming Aug. 3. Organized Nov. 22, 1784, it was first called The Church of Christ on Tyger River. The name was changed in 1803 to Padgett’s Creek. The current building was constructed in 1844-48. The church is listed on the National and State Historical Registers. Below, Tammy Jones, leader of the Relay for Life Team, presented a plaque to the church for its fundraising activities all year.
First Baptist Church, Walterboro, will celebrate its 150th anniversary Oct. 19. A church history will be presented during the Sunday school time. Guests will be recognized during the worship service at 11 a.m., followed by dinner on the grounds and a musical program.
A mission team from First Baptist Church, Hilton Head, traveled to Krakow, Poland, in July for a mission trip. They conducted Vacation Bible School in a park and at an orphanage, and performed a selection of songs, “The Country Side of Gospel,” in a coffee house. At right, children attending VBS color Bible story pictures.
Southside Baptist Church, Chesnee, observed Youth Day Aug. 17. The youth presented a program of music, testimonies of summer activities and a skit. They also gave summer youth director Geri Kaminski a gift and a card, and pastor Dale Welch presented her a plaque from the church family. Pictured are some of the youth with Kaminski and pastor Dale Welch.
Twenty members of First Baptist Church, Edgefield, and four members of the Edgefield Community departed July 26 for a mission trip to Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, in partnership with the South Carolina WMU and the Jamaica Women’s Federation Union. Vacation Bible School was held at two churches and a medical clinic was provided in two areas for the week.