A theme – to “make a difference” through the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – and a 76-mile bicycle ride have helped Cedar Shoals Baptist Church, Enoree, understand that even a smaller-membership church can do great things for God’s glory.
South Carolina Baptist Convention executive director-treasurer Jim Austin and South Carolina WMU associate executive director Sandra Tapp accept a hand-delivered check from cyclists Kyle Owings, Stephen Cannon and Tim Davis from Cedar Shoals Baptist Church, Enoree.On Jan. 18, Cedar Shoals pastor Stephen Cannon, minister of music Kyle Owings and deacon chairman Tim Davis embarked on a five-hour bicycle ride from the Spartanburg-county church to the South Carolina Baptist Convention building in Columbia. The trio delivered the church’s Lottie Moon offering check, which exceeded the church’s goal of $15,000 and its 2008 contribution of $10,000.
“This story came out of our theme, ‘Making Disciples and Making a Difference,’ ” Cannon said. “We began praying and wanted this year’s goal to be 50 percent higher. We knew it would be challenging.”
Cannon said the church rallied around the project. Work began in November around a series of offering projects, including a Clemson and USC challenge, with members supporting their team through contributions. The church’s Mission Friends children collected contributions in socks as part of a “Sock It to Missions” effort. Members donated postage they would have spent on mailing Christmas cards. “It was a lot of people working together,” Cannon said.
Cannon promised that if the church met its goal, he, Owings, and Davis would ride bicycles to Columbia and deliver the check. “People knew I was a cyclist,” Cannon said. “I believe the choir got behind this because they wanted to see Kyle make the trip. He is a golf pro, not a cyclist, and they wanted to see him do it.”
Cannon said the bike ride was a little more challenging than he anticipated. “I was thinking the trip would be downhill, but there were some challenging hills on Highway 176 through Prosperity and Newberry,” he said. “It took us exactly 4 hours and 57 minutes. We had a lot of fun together along the way.”
The entire project, he said, has gotten the church excited for missions. “We are a smaller-membership church, but this has helped us see that we can do great things for God’s glory. Already, we are looking to take a mission trip this year, and we’ve started laying groundwork for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.”
In addition to missions, Cedar Shoals is also becoming intentional about making disciples through Sunday school. Cannon said the church is creating new classes, including a couples class and a pastor’s class, and is scheduling monthly teacher meetings.
“There is a renewal of what God is doing,” Cannon said. “Our people are showing up in anticipation of what the Lord is going to do here.” – SCBC