Friendship Baptist Church, Pauline, celebrated its 245th anniversary/homecoming on Aug. 1. Several members shared what the term “friendship” meant to them, and oldest member Mary Morrow (age 102) recalled memories of past outdoor homecoming meals. Edward Peeler added that “it wasn’t a choice of going to church. It was a known fact you were going and if you misbehaved you would get a thump on the hand.” Marguerite Hayes led a historical committee who set up an archives display, with church pictures ranging from 1803 to the present. Also on display was a wooden stand that held the preacher’s water bucket, silver plates and goblets used for the Lord’s Supper, and a pulpit Bible more than 100 years old. Brian Harris is pastor at Friendship.
Graham Baptist Church, Sumter, experienced the “Adventure of the High Seas” with an average attendance of 175 at its June 17-24 Vacation Bible School.
Mt. Calvary, New Hope and Padgett’s Creek churches came together for a joint service on June 11. J.L. Peake (center), pastor of Mt. Calvary Church, Union, brought the message. Also pictured are Carrol Caldwell (left), pastor of Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church, Union, and Ronny Marmol, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, Cross Anchor. Mt. Calvary was in charge of the music. Padgett’s Creek was to meet at Mt. Calvary on the evening of July 25.
Whitefield Baptist Church, Belton, held its annual Vacation Bible School July 19-23. The theme was “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” with an average of 230 students and 164 volunteers in attendance each night. The week ended on Friday with VBS Family Night. Pastor Doug Jones of Happy Trails Cowboy Church in Pelzer was the guest speaker. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers, pony rides and games. Money collected during the VBS missions offering went to help Happy Trails Cowboy Church start a children’s ministry. Charles Strickland is senior pastor and Jeremy Sargent is student pastor at Whitefield.
Pastor Tom Swilley and the congregation of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Conway, show their pride in one of their members, Caroline Blanton, recently crowned Miss South Carolina Teen. She will compete for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen in Orlando, Fla. Caroline, who also won the title of Miss Conway High, is active in the church’s teen class and sings in the adult choir – and is a member of a special ensemble from the choir called “Celebration.”
A team of volunteers from Oak Grove Baptist Church, Allendale-Hampton Association, joined with another church to install a roof at the home of Veronica Horton, a 90-year-old widow from St. Simons Island, Ga. Oak Grove members who assisted in the June 10-12 project included project leader Bill Reid, mission leader Rudy Cleland, Betty Reid, Leigh Ann Cleland, Kaila Bishop, Janelle Barker, Jamie Taylor, Gregory Holden and Kaye Horton.
Barker’s Creek Baptist Church, Honea Path, recently sponsored a team of 19 youth and adults to volunteer with World Changers in Louisiana. While there, the group worked on substandard housing and ministered to others in need. Participants in this year’s trip were youth director Josh Powers, Ryan Boggs, Rachel Boggs, Blake Smith, Blake Fortner, Ray Clinkscales, Trevor Clinkscales, Courtney Clinkscales, Candace Clinkscales, Trent Bannister, Lauren Bannister, Cheryl Bannister, Jessie Lewis, Dawn Lowe, Kaylee Roach, Casey Roach, Caleb Kay, Jared Major and Kristin Cloninger. Wesley Taylor is pastor at Barker’s Creek.
Second Baptist Church, Belton, celebrated being debt-free with an in-house fireworks show on July 4 as it burned the mortgage on its building. The church facility was moved from its original location on Blake Street to its current 51-acre campus on Belton Highway in 1996. The congregation paid $2.1 million to retire its debt, and the total relocation project represents a $2.7 million investment. Pictured from left are building committee members Melissa Ellison, Donnie Cooley and Stanley Campbell with pastor Mitch Brooks.
The youth at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Conway, recently enjoyed a fun-filled week at Camp Long-ridge in Ridgeway. Calling themselves the Green Team, the group won the spirit flag as part of their activities. Pictured with chaperone Stevie Watts (back row, left) are Keith Stalvey, Braiden Lott, Kevin Stalvey and Heather Dye.
The children of Hope Point Community Church, Spartanburg, recently participated in a week-long mission trip to their own city called the Anchor Mission Trip. With bags of items needed by local ministries, the children and their parents arrived at 9 a.m. for team building, preparation and prayer, and by 10 a.m. were loaded up and heading out to be the “hands, feet and voice of Jesus” in their community. Their projects included serving lunch at Miracle Hill Missions, packing meal bags for needy children at Shepherd’s Door Ministry, and visiting residents at two area nursing homes, among others. The group concluded the week with a visit to a local water park. According to Merissa Ramantanin, director of children’s ministry at Hope Point, 60 children and nearly 30 adults participated each day.
The senior adults from Blackstock First Baptist Church enjoyed fun and fellowship on a trip to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. After eating at the restaurant there, they hiked to the top for more wonderful views and pictures – and finished their trip with a visit to Tony’s Ice Cream in Gastonia.
New Home Baptist Church, Conway, held Vacation Bible School June 6-11. VBS director Brandy Zurcher issued a challenge to the congregation to collect items and money for Operation Christmas Child as the VBS missions project, not realizing that LifeWay had joined efforts with Samaritan’s Purse for VBS. “I had prayed for months about where our missions offering would go,” Zurcher said, “and the Lord continously led me to do shoeboxes.” Church members rose to the challenge, donating $725 and nearly 100 items for the shoeboxes. “We are a relatively small church,” Zurcher continued, “and I am so excited that our people chose to participate and give generously.” Zurcher said the church will continue to collect items until time to turn in the shoeboxes.
The youth at Hunt’s Memorial Baptist Church in Easley ministered to their community during their recent Vacation Bible School. With an average daily attendance of 20 young people, the group focused on an outreach project for the Piedmont Women’s Center as well as a nightly Bible lesson. They collected baby supplies for the PWC’s “bundle of joy” gift packages and filled baby bottles with coins and cash to help the center. After spending the day at Carowinds on July 27, the youth delivered their donations to the women’s center on July 28 and on a tour of the facility were able to see firsthand the valuable ministry provided there.
Rick Astle, director of missions for Waccamaw Baptist Association, recently signed copies of his book, “The Believers Guide to Overcoming Temptation,” at the LifeWay store in Myrtle Beach. His previous book, “The Priority of Kingdom Focused Prayer,” sold more than 25,000 copies. Astle has used the book on prayer for conference settings at churches and plans to do the same with his new book.