Garden City Baptist Church is sending a message to everyone who passes by that “God is bigger than any fire that can enter life.” The church burned recently, but this sign on Highway 17 reminds motorists that the church is still meeting. Pictured are John Henderson, left, deacon chairman, and Rich McLawhorn, pastor.
Ruth Davis was recognized recently by Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, Easley, for 70 consecutive years of service with Vacation Bible School. Pastor Paul Turner praised her “spirit of love and encouragement” and called her a “model of dedication and faithfulness.” He read letters of congratulations from South Carolina Baptist Convention executive director-treasurer Jim Austin and Piedmont Baptist Association director of missions Broadus Moody. He also read a letter from former Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page, pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church, where Davis first began working with VBS. Two families in the church presented her with 100 Gideon children’s New Testaments, which will be distributed to children through Easley United Christian Ministry. The church also took up a love offering to purchase additional Bibles in her name to be distributed around the world. It was estimated that Davis, through her 70 years of serving through VBS, personally touched the lives of more than a thousand children and their families.
Six summer missionaries served 10 weeks ministering to Hispanic migrant workers in Boiling Springs. Begun in 1961, the Hispanic migrant mission program has continued for 48 years. Retired minister James Crocker led the services each Thursday, and a total of 45 decisions were made during the 10 weeks. The summer missionaries handed out more than 3,000 ministry kits (provided by Upstate WMU groups) and Bibles. Pictured are Boiling Springs members Matt Mitchell, North Greenville University; Jordan Hairr, Boiling Springs High School; and Mitch Williams, NGU; Renesar Spanish Baptist Church members Elvia Guerrero, Adela Guerrero, and Noemi Guerrero; Larry Campbell, bus driver; and Evelyn Henderson, mission volunteer and supervisor for the project.
Locust Hill Baptist Church, Travelers Rest, recently served a meal to the North Greenville University football team in an effort to reach out to the student-athletes, coaches and their families. Church members – several of whom are NGU faculty, staff and students – had an opportunity to interact with team members. Locust Hill also set up five tables on move-in day at North Greenville to hand out water and help students move in to the dorms. Bill Pfister is pastor of Locust Hill.
A group of volunteers from Brushy Creek and First Baptist churches in Taylors, and Standing Springs Baptist Church, Simpsonville, went to Lighthouse Community Church in Nikiski, Alaska, in July. While in Nikiski, they conducted a VBS for the church, and also did light construction work.
Eastside Baptist Church, Rock Hill, led by pastor Jim Neal, broke ground July 26 for a new educational facility. Approximately 300 people were in attendance to celebrate the event, including special guests from First Citizens Bank and J.M. Cope Construction, as well as Rock Hill City Councilman Kevin Sutton and Mayor Doug Echols. The project is expected to take six months to complete. The building will include staff offices, Sunday school rooms, nursery and preschool facilities, and a choir suite.
Cherokee Springs Baptist Church, Spartanburg, hosted a special concert on July 26 featuring The Sisters (former members of The Ruppes). The Cherokee Springs praise and worship team, “Holimotion,” also performed “The Midnight Cry” (written by Greg Day, husband of The Sisters’ member Heather Day), using sign language and dowel rods. Pictured are The Sisters – Kim Lord, Heather Day and Valerie Ellenburg – with Cherokee Springs pastor Bill Lark.
A group of 37 volunteers from several Conway-area Baptist churches went to Belize, Central America, July 11-18. They worked in the capital area of Belmopan and in surrounding villages. The group was made up of three different teams: a construction team that built four houses in three days; a Bible school team that held Bible school at different villages, with a total attendance of more than 1,000; and a medical team that worked in several villages and saw more than 1,000 patients in three days. Several of the churches represented in the group included Jamestown, North Conway, Juniper Bay and First Baptist.
Apalache Baptist Church, Greer, held Senior Adult Vacation Bible School Aug. 3-7, with Boomerang Express as this year’s theme. Average attendance for the week was 71, with a high attendance of 75. Eddie Cooper is pastor and Frank Lewis is senior adult director at Apalache.
Powdersville First Baptist Church, Easley, held its second annual First Fest Homecoming weekend on Aug. 22. More than 400 adults and children showed up for the day’s event, which also included music by the church’s youth praise band, Six Feet Above. Inflatables and face painting were a big hit with the children, while show cars and an appearance by a local racer were provided for the adults. The crowd also enjoyed free hot dogs, chips, drinks, cotton candy, shaved ice and popcorn.
First Baptist Church, North Myrtle Beach, recently held its fifth annual ocean baptism with a total of eight people being baptized by pastor John Gambrell and Dwain Hayes, who serves as minister of children, families, students and youth.
The men and youth from Holston Creek Baptist Church, Inman, roofed the dormitory at Glenn Springs Academy in a mission project last month. “The mission project provided a great opportunity for men to mentor youth from Holston Creek and Glenn Springs Academy,” said pastor Steven Ragan.
The love of Christ was evident in Pendleton on Saturday, Aug. 22, as Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, Anderson, sponsored a “Love Our Community Day” project to minister to needy families there. Nearly 100 volunteers from the Mt. Tabor Church family worked with the Golden Harvest Food Bank to provide thousands of pounds of fresh produce, canned goods and gently used clothing to those needing assistance. Audrey Willis, event coordinator, said the event was “a tremendous success.”
A group of 14 youth from Kelleytown Baptist Church, Hartsville, recently held a block party and kids clubs as part of an apartment ministry in Raleigh, N.C. Pictured from left are Carolyn Daubenspeck, Jordan Melton, Daniel Henderson, Chase Woods, Teresa Gainey, Blake Hancock, Jaclyn Miller, Ashleigh Garson, Maddy Shaw, Lori Shaw, Kari Smith, Zach Grooms, Josh Slone and Anna Shaw.