Kentucky team: Nancy Thomas, Lou Jones, Horace Arthur, Jonni Treifi, Horace Arthur, Libby Knudson, Geneva Padgett, Ann Humphries, Grayson Padgett, Marshall Webb, Adriane Padgett, Christy Thompson and Jamie Smith.Ben Avon Baptist Church, Spartanburg, believes in Acts 1:8. This year the church has sent missionaries from ages 9 to 90 to carry out the Great Commission.
Seven members, along with two from Bethany Baptist and two from Abner Baptist, went to Buff Bay, Jamaica, in May. The group included 9-year-old Samuel Sparks, grandson of Ben Avon pastor Tommy Sparks, who was also the team leader.
In June, a group of 12 traveled to Lynch, Ky., where they worked with Merzido Ministries. The group included Horace Arthur, who will be 90 years old in December. The church also did a local mission for Survivors with Hope in August, with 11 members helping with a support group for victims of violent crime.
The church plans to do one more project for state missions this year to fulfill their theme of “Here, There, and Everywhere.”
Jamaica team: (Front row) Amanda Lemmonds and Samuel Sparks. (Middle row) Lou Jones, Ashley Ford, Cathy Sparks and Dennis Hill. (Back row) Kristen Barnes; Tommy Sparks, pastor of Ben Avon Baptist; Brad Keeling; William Davenport; and Richard Clark, pastor of Abner Baptist.