The youth of Centenary Baptist Church, in Marion Association, performed a “service of love” on July 24 by washing church members’ cars and trucks free of charge.
Three young people at Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church, Union, recently were baptized after attending Royal Ambassador Camp and SeeSalt youth camp. Pictured with the youth are leader Jenny Vaughn (left) and pastor Carrol Caldwell.
More than 100 North Greenville University faculty and staff volunteers set aside office work the week of Aug. 2 to brave the heat and get the campus ready for students arriving on campus for the fall semester. Workers were divided into several teams to work on various landscaping, cleaning, painting and renovation projects. One project in particular utilized several teams to transform the front campus into a pedestrian-friendly campus complete with new landscaping and brick walkways.
Eight members of Six Mile Baptist Church traveled to Lynch, Ky., in May to assist with projects at Freedom Center Ministries, which helps meet practical human needs (clothing, household items, hygiene products and a toy ministry) in southeastern Kentucky while also sharing the gospel. In addition to their work at the center, the Six Mile group volunteered to bring back to South Carolina two dogs – a dachshund and a bulldog – in need of new homes. Members of the mission team included Philip, Cheryl, Christina, and Cheyenne Aguero, along with Dale Garrett, Genell Pearson, Andrew Griffith and Christopher Holder.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Hemingway, held its annual Vacation Bible School on July 11-16. Led by VBS director Beth Cannon, this year’s theme was SonQuest Rainforest. According to pastor Jim Legendre, a total enrollment of 147 and five professions of faith were reported.
The WMU of New Hope Baptist Church, Mauldin, recently made 350 salvation bracelets for church member Terry Freeland and the Brazil mission team to distribute. The group was scheduled to leave for Brazil on Aug. 5. Pictured are WMU members Ruth Knight, Lynn Lockaby, Shirley Allen, Jane Baldwin, June Turner, Martha Friddle, Sandra Teague, Pat Crooke, Joan Black and Freddie Spann.
Students and adults from First Baptist Church, Surfside Beach, helped Connie Maxwell Baptist Church put on a character camp the week of July 4. “Thank you, Mrs. Polly Davis and Mrs. Sally Kauffman, for allowing us to serve,” said Brian Timney, minister of students at First Baptist, Surfside Beach.
Ravenwood Baptist Church, Columbia, held Vacation Bible School July 19-23. Average attendance was 72, with several professions of faith reported.
This year’s theme for Vacation Bible School at Liberty Baptist Church, Chester, was “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” and according to pastor Joey Shetley, “God provided greatly every day.” The week concluded with a hotdog supper and horseback rides.
On July 18, the family of Russell and Helen Dean honored the couple with a special musical program at Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community in celebration of their 50 years of marriage and ministry. During the program, Martha Franks’ executive director Dina Hair (left) presented the Deans with a plaque naming the chaplain’s office in honor of them. Russell Dean has served as chaplain for 10 years at Martha Franks, and his wife has given many hours of volunteer service.
A group of 19 from Buck Creek Baptist Church, Longs, went on their second mission trip to Lynch, Ky., July 17-24. They worked with the Freedom Center Ministries for “Back to School” week. Each child received clothes, socks, shoes, a health kit, and a backpack filled with school supplies – and each family was prayed with before leaving. The Buck Creek children’s team played games, did VBS songs/dances, and crafts with the children while their parents waited in line. They also provided hot dogs and sandwiches each day. In addition, a construction team built a retaining wall and filled the driveway with gravel for the ministry’s directors, George and Robin Lewis, who are Volunteer Service Corps missionaries for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
The second annual EPIC (Equipping People in Churches) Conference was hosted by Saluda Baptist Association on Aug. 7 at Covenant Baptist Church in Anderson. Director of missions John Dill welcomed the participants who attended the three morning sessions. A morning camp was provided for children ages 3 years through 5th grade, as well as a nursery for younger children. Topics included Bible study/Sunday school, general ministry, missions, outreach to the community, and specialized ministries. Saluda Association – whose motto is “Churches doing together what none can do alone” – provides a fellowship for 77 churches in the Anderson County area. Upcoming events include a minister’s conference, leadership team meeting, training for church staff members, a ministry assistant luncheon/workshop, and a Bible picnic for the deaf.
Tucapau Baptist Church, Startex, held Vacation Bible School Aug. 1-5, with an average attendance of 113 and seven professions of faith. As part of the activities, the students raised $543 to support missionaries Mitch and Judy Marsh in Nicaragua, and created blankets for needy children. The youth also acted out scenes from the Bible for the children.
God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) is working for Mechanicsville Baptist Church and Iglesia Evangelica Nueva Vida, a daughter church of Mechanicsville in Darlington. At this year’s Easter service, both churches baptized a total of six new converts. Nueva Vida pastor Luis Garcia, assisted by Mechanicsville pastor Frankie Tanner, baptized his first new converts since the church began in January 2009. Mechanicsville recently held baptism at its annual fishing rodeo and on July 4 celebrated five new converts. Mechanicsville has baptized 13 new Christians in 2010. Tanner says that “sharing the old sanctuary” with the Hispanic church members is a “blessing to everyone.”
Marion Baptist Association recently sent a team of 37 volunteers to Brunswick, Ga., where they worked with Peter Copeland and the summer missionaries from Golden Isles Ministries. They participated in a variety of outreach projects, including day camps, construction, an assisted-living facility, prayerwalking, door-to-door evangelism and a block party – and reported three salvations during the week. Churches represented were Marion, Mullins First, Nebo, Friendship, Reedy Creek, West Marion, McMillan Memorial and Gapway. Team leader for the trip was Jim Kirkland, pastor of Mullins First.
A group of 27 people from Garden City Baptist Church traveled to Kentucky on a mission trip in July. This was the largest group Garden City Baptist has sent on a mission trip. The team of volunteers assisted a local Baptist church with its Vacation Bible School in the evening, and during the day they helped with several projects at Meridzo Center Ministries, which serves people in the Appalachian Mountain region. “We are still rebuilding after our devastating church fire last summer,” said Garden City senior pastor Rich McLawhorn, “but have not forgotten the Great Commission mandate to reach out to people for Jesus Christ.”
Fourteen members from Harleyville First Baptist Church left town Aug. 7 for a six-day mission trip to Fayetteville, W.Va. They were the last of numerous summer teams that had worked with pastor George Secrist and New River Baptist Church, one of several small Southern Baptist churches nestled in this region of the Appalachian Mountains. The team’s mission was threefold: to conduct a tent revival led by Martin Wiles, pastor of Harleyville First, to build a new stage for future outdoor church events, and to conduct a backyard Bible club at Pineknoll Apartments.The spiritual need in the area was evidenced by an average attendance of only 10 people at the revival meetings after previous teams had distributed flyers to more than 2,000 homes. Average attendance at the Bible clubs, led by Jennifer Walters, was around 30, and team members were given the chance to interact and share with children and parents, many of whom were not involved in church. Referring to one child from a broken home that he had established a bond with, team member Jim Marralle said; “It is sad to see where she is, knowing what she could be.” The team wrapped up the Bible club with a block party featuring popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, hot dogs and hamburgers, and received a heartfelt thank you from those who attended.
Mission Development Ministries, a group of Anderson-area Christian businessmen, celebrated 22 years of service at a banquet at Concord Baptist Church in Anderson on Aug. 5. Founded in 1988, the organization receives donated items from sources primarily based in South Carolina. The group ministers to families recommended by churches, schools and law enforcement, and provides support during the summer and on holidays. Outreach activities have taken place in Southern states, in New England and in other countries. Pictured: Randy Creamer, left, manager of the North American Mission Board’s disaster relief operations, is greeted by banquet coordinator Bruce Byce of Anderson.
The children’s choir of Emerald Baptist Church, Greenwood, participated in a “musical mission trip” Aug. 2-6 in Salyersville, Ky. The 17-member group held music day camps in two churches and performed a musical program in three additional churches. Minister of music Norman Keesee said that this year’s trip has laid the groundwork for a second trip next summer, as the group will return to do expanded day camps for preschool, grades 1-6 and adults. The camps are being coordinated with Dustin Sims, pastor of Licking River Baptist Church, Salyersville, Ky.
Two Columbia churches that share a building – Iglesia Hispana de la Comunidad and South Beltline Baptist Church – along with a group that helps local churches do Vacation Bible School, came together recently to plan a successful VBS program. Steve Tucker heads up the VBS ministry group. The churches prayed for God to send 30 children to VBS, and exactly 30 children attended, most of them every night. Most of the children were Hispanic, about half of whom were not previously connected with the church. Eric Bothur, pastor of the English-speaking church, and Juan Carlos Martinez, pastor of the Spanish-speaking church, alternated between the two languages to welcome and give an overview of VBS to the parents at the closing ceremony and to teach the children during the week. Pictured: Steve Tucker assists Jessica Vicente and Jessica Reyes with their crafts.
The 2010 mission team from Carolina Baptist Association ministered to the Jenkins, Ky. community this summer, through backyard Bible clubs, housing repairs and a block party. More than 400 people attended the block party, where 380 book bags filled with school supplies were handed out. A total of 17 professions of faith were reported during the week.
Grace Baptist Church, Duncan, recently baptized two new believers: David Dougherty and Katelyn Larke, pictured with pastor Danny Monroe.
Seven members from Fairview Baptist Church, Kinards, recently completed an eight-day church-planting mission trip to Wakefield, R.I. Ministries included interviews and witnessing in downtown and on a walking trail, prayerwalking, distributing detergent and coins for washers and dryers to patrons in a laundromat, and a block party at the beach. Pictured from left are Steve Knight, Lowell and Geraldine Henderson, Linda Lever, Ann Thompson, Glennie Walker and Grayson Snelgrove. The pastor of the new church plant is Cal Bankston, whose wife (the former Tammy Henderson) previously was a member of Fairview.
On May 23, Chris Zurcher, pastor of New Home Baptist Church in Conway, fulfilled a promise to his congregation to preach from the roof of the church if worship attendance surpassed 80. Mission accomplished.