Barker’s Creek Baptist Church, Honea Path, honored member Billy Kline on Aug. 8 for his service in the military. Staff Sgt. Kline, left, is scheduled to return to active duty in the Army and will report to Fort Bragg. Pastor Wesley Taylor, right, presented Kline and his wife Rilla with a devotional book.
Luford Pope, pastor of Nebo Baptist Church in Britton’s Neck, baptized three new members on Sept. 26: Genna Browning, 5-year-old Charlie Richardson, and Richard Moore.
Sand Hill Baptist Church, Kershaw, ordained Mitch Fletcher and Shad Farmer as deacons on Oct. 3. Pastor Chadwick Ivester and Bill Poore, of Lancaster, officiated the ordination service. Ivester presented each man with an ordination certificate and a book, “Systematic Theology,” by Wayne Grudem. Pictured are Fletcher, Ivester and Farmer. (Photos by Jimmy Baker)
The Mission Friends at Mountain Grove Baptist Church, Pickens, recently collected school supplies for Holly Springs and Ben Hagood elementary schools. Pictured from left are (front row) Ben Jennings, Olivia Merck and Colby Nicholson; (back row) Mission Friends leaders Missy Nicholson and LaDonna Owen. Not pictured: Maggie Holcombe, Wesley Durham and Alexie Smith.
Thomas Cox, a member of First Baptist Church, Gray Court, was ordained as deacon on Sept. 26. With Cox, center, and his wife Donna is pastor Sammie Godfrey, who presented the certificate of ordination.
Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church, Union, recently honored member David Lawson for his military service. Staff Sgt. Lawson, who has served three tours in Afghanistan, is pictured at right with pastor Carrol Caldwell.
The college and career class at Spring Branch Baptist Church, Nichols, participated in a flag retirement ceremony as part of the church’s July 4 celebration.
The WMU of Bellview Baptist Church, Laurens, made witnessing dolls as one of their projects this summer. The ladies shared the dolls with the children’s ministry department at Bellview in August, and plan to share the dolls with community agencies who work with children.
Laurens Baptist Association teens recently put their “feet to the street” on Sept. 11 at Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community in Laurens. According to Lisa Yarber, director of marketing at Martha Franks, they took four hours of their Saturday “to polish up the facility and make it shine.” She praised them for displaying a “true spirit of service,” and added that “their commitment, friendliness, laughter and hard work were all an inspiration and encouragement to the residents and staff at Martha Franks.”
The WMU leadership team of Lexington Baptist Association recently held a fall festival and training event for all ages at Oakwood Baptist Church. Training materials and information were provided for WMU leaders, and WMU church organizations displayed missions projects they had conducted the past year. The children who attended made salvation bracelets and enjoyed face painting and balloon characters by Clowns for Christ from Round Hill Baptist Church.
The youth of Evergreen Baptist Church, Effingham, conducted the Aug. 29 evening service with a missions emphasis. Emily Bochette explained “What is Missions,” followed by a slideshow featuring pictures from previous mission trips and projects the youth had done. Zach Bradley spoke about his experiences on a summer mission trip to Eagle Ranch in 2007. Dallon Gardner shared his experiences when the youth group participated in the TEAMeffort mission trip in 2008. This past May, the youth took part in the 30 Hours of Famine to raise money for world hunger. The youth group also was moved to support a child in a Third World country. Tyler Suggs shared about this event and the impact it had on him. Ryan Bunch and Gabby Ramos told of the youths’ experience at SeeSalt this past summer. Damon Earp closed the missions reports by telling about the youth group’s recent work with a local homeless ministry, House of Hope. Other participants included Betty Suggs, Tamra Gulledge, Ryan Stingel, Talor Hewitt, Brandon Ramos, Stephen Causey, and Evergreen’s youth praise band.
Ashley River Baptist Church, Charleston, held baptism at the beach Sept. 19 on the Isle of Palms. After the service, the baptismal candidates received their first Lord’s Supper, followed by a meal and a time of fellowship.
The WMU of Brownsville Baptist Church, Blenheim, recently embarked on a labor of love for little girls in Africa. Inspired this summer by a television program that told of making dresses for these girls, WMU director Bobbie Davis presented the idea to the ladies of her group as a possible missions project. “The little girls there are not recognized,” Davis said. “They needed to know they are loved by God.” Only two ladies in the group are seamstresses, but their skills, along with donated materials from the other WMU members, resulted in a total of 120 dresses mailed on Sept. 9 and another 120 that are now ready to mail. In addition, another WMU member donated the postage for shipping 300 dresses. “We are so proud to be a part of this ongoing project,” Davis continued. “If we can only add a smile to these little faces, it is very heartwarming. The Lord has blessed us and we want to share our project. We will continue to sew and send these dresses.”
Earle’s Grove Baptist Church, Westminster, honored Nell Stone for 50 years of service as Sunday school teacher. She first taught 7th-9th grade boys in 1960, and in 1986 she began teaching an adult class until her retirement on Aug. 29, 2010. She also directed the children’s choir from 1960-1963 and the youth choir from 1963-1977, and served as WMU director from 1960-1962. Stone is pictured receiving a plaque of appreciation from the church.
Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, Greer, honored Ted Conwell for 25 years of service. A churchwide fellowship was held in his honor. Conwell came to Mt. Lebanon in 1985 as part-time minister of music, and in 1994 was named full-time minister of music, children and activities. He and his wife, the former Debbie Carnell of Wellford, have two children, Kristy and Christopher.
The congregation of Belvedere First Baptist Church, North Augusta, recently honored longtime members James and Myrtle Carter for their 70th wedding anniversary and for being members of Belvedere for 76 years. Pictured with the Carters is pastor John Meyer, center, at the Oct. 3 service.
The members of Secona Baptist Church, Pickens, hosted a Celebration Banquet on Sept. 26 and burned a copy of the mortgage on their educational space and family life center built in 2001. Pastor Jeff Whaley and the congregation look forward to the future as the church continues to grow in Christ.
Seth Buckley, student minister at Spartanburg First Baptist Church, spoke Oct. 4 at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes rally at Charleston Southern University. He told the story of how he walked on to the football team at the University of Alabama as a freshman, only to see his opportunity to play major Division I football fade. Buckley closed his message by saying that people need to let go of their own plans if they don’t align with what God has planned. The final Scripture he shared, Hebrews 12:1-3, pointed to the need to throw off things that hinder in order to run the race marked out.
Barker’s Creek Baptist Church, Honea Path, celebrated Missions Night on Oct. 6 by welcoming a group from Shalom House Ministries to the church. Shalom House Ministries of Anderson and Belton provides a safe, drug-free, supportive community for women to pursue a life free from alcohol and drug addiction. Using the Bible as a basis for life-changing solutions in the programs, the group offers recovery and a halfway house to help women return to work and have a productive future. Pictured, from left, are Shalom House director Stacey Carol, Barker’s Creek WMU director Linda Branyon, pastor Wesley Taylor, Barker’s Creek Team Kids missions member Kinsley Kay, with Stephanie Steele and Dana Barnes, who have been through the Shalom House program.
Several members of Black Creek Baptist Church, Darlington, organized a First Place for Health group this summer. They lost more than 300 pounds in 12 weeks and donated more than 300 pounds of food to “The Lord Cares” ministry in Darlington to feed hungry people in that area. Pictured are First Place members Connie Woodard, Harriett Mahn, Suzan Pigford, Betty June Gandy, Harry Pigford, Nancy Jeffords, Craig Gandy (biggest loser), Sandra Bryant, Kathie Benton and Wanda McEntire.
Apalache Baptist Church, Greer, recently recognized Clara Lawson for 42 years and Mary Ellen Perry for 44 years of service in the children’s Sunday school department. Pictured are (l to r) Sunday school director Ken Wilson, Lawson, Perry, and pastor Eddie Cooper.
Apalache Baptist Church, Greer, dedicated its new Christian Life Center on Oct. 3. The facility contains a gymnasium, education space, kitchen and dining hall. The congregation celebrated the special day with a dedication ceremony and a churchwide dinner. Pictured at the ribbon-cutting ceremony are Eddie Cooper, pastor, and Wayne Dillard, chairman of the CLC building committee.
The Men’s Ministry of Rabun Creek Baptist Church, Gray Court, hosted their Deer Season Kick-Off Breakfast Sept. 11. Approximately 200 people attended the free community outreach event, which featured food, music, and guest speaker Travis Sumner.