The city of Columbia will host the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s annual meeting Nov. 16-17, and, on Saturday, Nov. 13, South Carolina Baptists will have the opportunity to serve Columbia’s local communities through hands-on mission projects.
“We Are Here for You, Midlands!” is a pilot project created by the convention’s order of business committee, chaired by Keith Shorter.
“We want to say to Columbia-area community leaders that South Carolina Baptists are here to serve the city, not just be an economic impact during the annual meeting,” said Shorter, pastor of Mt. Airy Church, Easley.
Committee members are working with the Columbia Metro and Lexington associations to organize the projects, and church teams are lined up to participate. Planned projects include small-scale construction work and home repairs, working with the homeless and in shelters, biker outreach, helping new churches, neighborhood block parties, food pantry work, and food drives.
While the project assignments have already been made, Shorter said other churches can still be involved through prayer. “I would love to see other teams of churches join us by praying over this event and for the ministry that will happen that day,” he said.
For the 10th year, Woman’s Missionary Union is sponsoring “We’re Here for You,” a statewide simultaneous day of missions and ministry, on the Saturday prior to the SCBC meeting. Shorter said the “We Are Here for You, Midlands!” project is a complement to the WMU event.
“There has been some concern to involve younger pastors in the annual meeting, and I believe that there is great interest in local ministry and doing something that matters to the kingdom while we are gathered together to meet,” Shorter said. – SCBC