Movin’ In-Movin’Out

When was the last time you had to move your family and all your belongings?  For some, it is very recent, for others, it has been a while.  We have two families right in the middle of such moves.

On the moving in side:  We say hello to Dave and Lauren with their two boys.  They moved from Orlando to James Island.  By the way, they were very good about doing a self move and not incurring the expense of having to use professional movers.  Our thanks to the Johnsons and the many volunteers on the Orlando side that helped pack them and the volunteers on the James Island side that helped unpack.  We laughed this morning as Dave was saying he is still looking for and trying to find things he needs.  In the office we are trying to give Dave the extra time he needs to get his family settled, get his home in order, get used to the new environment, make sure the boys are adjusting, etc.  Moving can be stressful.  He comes on board at JIBC at a very busy time of the year.  He also comes to a worship and music ministry very different from the church he served in Orlando, and that means more adjusting.  So, that is the long way to ask that you keep Dave in your prayers, be gracious and understanding, and look for God’s blessings.   I am already loving his heart.

On the moving out side:  We say goodbye to Rhodes and Jess Roberts and family.  They are leaving us to serve full time in Vapor Sports Ministry located in Alabama.  They will serve in a support role operating a thrift store helping to support this ministry.  This sports ministry uses soccer as a platform to enter third world impoverished countries helping to provide sustainable resources and discipleship.  Wow.  I am hoping for the day when all those who play soccer at JIBC will be able to partner with Vapor on a mission trip.  Rhodes and Jess were a vital part of a small group that met weekly.  Jess in particular grew significantly from her time with her small group.  What a joy to send them out.  We will miss them greatly even as we rejoice in what God is doing through them.

By the way, do you realize we have JIBC family now serving in Asia, South Africa, Nepal, New Orleans/Tennessee and now that foreign land known as Alabama.  To God be the glory.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Our Busy Growing Branches

Welcome Dave Johnson

This past Sunday was Dave’s first official Sunday with us as a full time staff member.  They are still unpacking bags and boxes and getting settled in.  I haven’t had to move in quite a few years, so it is easy to forget what a big deal it is to move a family and all your belongings.  I mention this to remind us to “take it easy” on Dave and his family for a week or so.  Let them get moved in and adjusted, get the boxes unpacked, clothes put away, kids in new schools, curtains hung, etc.  Whew, it makes me tired thinking about it…I am soooo glad I am not the one having to do it.  We are very glad the Johnson family has joined the JIBC family.  Welcome to the Island Life!

Thanks to Fred Hudson

I said it Sunday, but I want to say it again, “Thank you, Fred.”  We brought Fred on to be our keyboard player and sound technician.  He ended up being the interim worship leader.  I am more than grateful for Fred, which is why we recruited him in the first place.  Multi-talented, more than capable and willing to serve where needed, he plays for both Sunday services, the Sunday rehearsal, the Wednesday night services, the Celebrate Recovery service on Sunday night, funerals and weddings.  What a great addition to our staff.

Fall Festival

This next Monday is one of the largest outreach events of the year for our JIBC family.  It gives us the opportunity to reach out to our community through providing a family friendly, safe alternative to Halloween.  We do not use the traditional “Halloween” decorations in the ministries of our church family or in this festival.  We will use themes around “fall” and “harvest” that emphasize the blessings of God and the beauty of His creation. 

Pray for this event.  Pray for spiritual protection and insight during this particular time of the season.  Lift up to God those who will be leading and serving. Ask for their peace, patience, and an increase in their energy levels.  Pray for those who attend to be aware of the Spirit of God and the love of God in His people.  Pray for safety as hundreds of people come onto the church campus and participate in the variety of events.   It is harvest time, pray that there will be a spiritual harvest.  Come and have fun, share some laughs, and meet some new families.  It will be a great time.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

MEET AND GREET FOR THE JOHNSONS

          MEET AND GREET By the time you get this Messenger the Johnsons should be in their new home here on James Island.  We are very excited to have Dave, Lauren and their two boys as a part of the JIBC family and the Charleston community.  We hope to have many opportunities to have times of fellowship with them.  This Sunday we want to have a brief meet and greet, so we are providing coffee, juice and donuts in the fellowship hall from 9:30 until 10:00.  That will still give our adult Bible Study classes time to meet.  It will also give Dave the time he needs to rehearse with the praise team.  Drop by any time from 9:30 to 10:00 Sunday morning to say “hello,”  then head on to your Adult Bible Study class.  What a great way to start the morning.

Just in case you can not make this Sunday’s meet and greet, we will also make sure we have Dave and Lauren available on Wednesday nights.  This will give them even more opportunity  to visit with the church family.  We want you to have multiple opportunities to meet them and spend some time with them.  You have already made them feel welcome.  Now, let’s get to know them and let them get to know more of our church family and community.  You will love them, and they will certainly love the JIBC family.

By the way, make sure you take a moment to say a big “thank-you” to Fred Hudson who has done a great job leading our worship.  I can tell you that when Fred was leading, I had every confidence the job would be done.  He has been a blessing to me and to our church family.  You can see why we went out to recruit his services and partnership.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Meet the Johnsons

David and Lauren Johnson are finishing up their last days living in Orlando Florida.  The plans right now are for them to actually be packing on Monday, October 17 and arrive in Charleston a day or two later.  They will be renting and living here on James Island.

David grew up in Orlando where he and his family attended Orlando First Baptist pastored by Dr. Jim Henry.  Dr. Henry has served as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Florida Baptist Convention, and the Orlando Baptist Convention.  It is the church where Janie and I worship when we vacation in Orlando.  He grew up in the youth group there and served in the youth group.  He later served as the youth worship leader at a sister church, First Baptist Church, St Cloud under Pastor Chan.  He also led the contemporary worship at the Carillon United Methodist Church in Orlando.  He has led in other area churches as well.  He joined his former Pastor, Chan in a new start church called Crosspointe.  This is the same church where Brent and Jess were serving when we found them and called them to JIBC.  Dave has worked for Campus Crusade in their mail room for several years.  This has afforded him opportunities to lead worship for The Campus Crusade Day of Prayer where he led over 1,000 in worship and prayer.

Dave has served at Crosspointe Church in Orlando as a member of their praise team for years.  He has served faithfully in that church family as an assistant worship leader, then as an interim worship leader and as an intern.  This has given him a great depth of training and preparation for his calling to JIBC.

Their church at Crosspointe is a church of small groups, so he has been involved first hand in participating in small group life.  He has also been mentored by their small group connections elder.  We anxiously look forward to this being a growth area for Dave as well as JIBC.  We will learn about connection and small group ministry together.  In this area, he is coming to partner with us in a new area of ministry.  We do not have a model for him to follow.  We will grow this ministry together with him.

Dave and Lauren have been married since 2000.  They have two young sons, Caleb and Jonah.   Many of our church folks have already met Lauren and fallen in love with her.  She has an outgoing personality and acts like she never meets a stranger.

To God be the glory.  Thank you for your prayers and support during this time of searching. He will be here to lead in his first official worship service on Sunday, October 23.  Keep your eyes open for a time of meet and greet with Dave and Lauren.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Here we go!

Last Thursday, we made it official; we extended a call to David and Lauren Johnson to come and do life with us here at The Church at Riverland Terrace, James Island Baptist.  David will be joining us as our Worship and Connection-Small Group Pastor.  Next week we will include some of his biographical information.

As far back as April we began our first conversation with Dave.  Pastor Brent knew him personally from the time he and Jess served at Crosspoint Church in Orlando.  Brent called to ask if Dave would be interested in talking to us and if he was interested to send us his resume.  Dave’s resume was one of over 120 resumes I held in my hands, read and considered.  That sounds like there were a lot of candidates out there.  Not really.  There were just a lot of people out there looking for jobs.  If I told you about some of the resumes we received, you would think I was making up the story.  There were some humdingers.  There were less than 10 that we had serious conversation with and only four that we interviewed personally.  Dave’s resume and interview kept rising to the top of our list.

Brent arranged for Dave and his family to come down and help in the area wide “Love God-Serve Charleston” week.  Dave came and assisted in leading music and serving with the youth.  We took a small group of leaders to hear Dave at that event and liked what we heard.  We interviewed him that week.  Dave is very likable, so we invited him back for his first official visit at JIBC where he met and worked with the praise team, met with around 40 of our leaders, led in four worship settings and had more interviews.

We decided to let that sit for a while and to seek feedback from the 40 or so leaders that met David and Lauren.  They received high marks from them all.  Not one felt any sense of “no or stop” from the Lord.  It was a very good weekend.

Conversations continued with Dave and Lauren and eventually led to a second official visit.  Once again, Dave met with the praise team, led in three worship settings and met with a smaller group of JIBC leaders.  This meeting got down to the nuts and bolts of the decision making process.  Again, our leaders gave thumbs up and were ready to move on.

You will perhaps laugh at this next move.  I met one final time with our staff and with our Elders.  I presented the decision to call David in the old fashion way in weddings: “If anyone knows of any reason these two (Dave and JIBC) should not now be wedded, speak now or forever hold your peace!”  At that point, the decision was made to extend the call to Dave, Lauren and their two boys.

It looks like they will move here the third week of October.  The final details have not been worked out, but we will keep you informed.  You will love Dave and Lauren.  They have already bonded with several members of our church family.  Keep them and JIBC in your prayers as we transition into this new “kairos” moment of time.  This really could be a defining moment for us.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Tom