On Feb. 19, Billy Mew, director of missions for Barnwell-Bamberg Baptist Association, was given a lively send-off at a surprise retirement banquet at Double Pond Baptist Church in Barnwell County.
Friends and family help Billy Mew, right, celebrate his retirement.People from surrounding areas came to help Mew celebrate his retirement. A highlight of the evening was a video presentation from Dabo Swinney, head football coach at Clemson University. Mew also received a signed football and photo.
Mew said he was “genuinely surprised” by the event. “I had absolutely no idea about the party, and was just overwhelmed by the number of people there. I think I was the only person in the two counties who didn’t know.”
“It was standing-room-only at the church,” said Alicia Strock, administrative assistant for the Barnwell-Bamberg Association, “and it seemed there wasn’t a person there that Billy didn’t know.” She estimated between 250-275 people attended.
On Feb. 28, Mew retired as director of missions, a post he had held since 2000. The 62-year-old Mew has had a 30-year-plus career as a pastor, serving churches in the Barnwell-Bamberg and Allendale-Hampton associations. He was pastor of Pine Level Baptist Church (1967-69), Lower Three Runs Baptist Church (1972-2000) and Seven Pines Baptist Church (1976-2000).
Throughout his ministry, Mew has served on several committees of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. He also served on the Executive Board of the SCBC.
He is the author of 12 books, many of them church histories. While he is not currently working on any books, he is sure he will author more in the future. “I love church history and writing about churches,” he said.
Mew is currently interim pastor at Hunter’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bamberg County.
Mew and his wife, Mary Olive Baxley Mew, own and operate a family farm called Snake Branch in Blackville. Mew’s plans for retirement are to “work on my farm, spend time with my grandsons, go to Clemson football games, preach on Sundays – and that’s it. I can’t think of a better retirement than that.”