THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

This year’s Holy Week theme is “THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING”. When we think of the empty tomb and the resurrected Lord Jesus, it really does change everything. Sins are forgiven, guilt can be removed, death is defeated and the grave is not the end. It changes everything. We are looking forward to a wonderful Resurrection Sunday Celebration. We will be celebrating baptism on Easter Sunday morning. It is another wonderful symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Amen and hallelujah.

FLOWERING THE CROSS 

For those who are new to JIBC, we have an Easter tradition of flowering the cross. We will have a special cross in the worship center and a team to take flowers and place them on the cross. Everyone is invited to bring flowers from your yard (or a neighbor’s with permission) and bring them to worship Sunday. Try to get them to the cross at least 15 minutes before the service begins at 11. It transforms the old rugged cross into a beautiful reminder…This Changes Everything!

GOOD FRIDAY 

If you receive your Messenger before Friday, remember we have the Good Friday service at 7 pm. It is a reflective time to hear the Gospel story. The focus is on the suffering of Christ and the great sacrifice of our Father in Heaven. We will observe the Lord’s Supper together as we worship or Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am hoping you and your family will have a wonderful Holy Week. Try to spend some time reading again the stories of what happened the last week of our Lord Jesus’ life. It is an amazing story, the greatest story ever told… and it really did change everything!

Pastor Tom

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

PRAYERS FOR JAMES ISLAND OUTREACH 

Cal Worthington has served faithfully at JIO over the years. Due to family health problems, he is stepping down as the Director of James Island Outreach. My understanding is that he will still stay around for the completion of the relocation and renovation of the new James Island Outreach facilities located on Camp Road. The Outreach will be looking to fill the position and I know their search team would greatly appreciate our prayers. They will begin taking resumes and applications after Easter. The JIO Director will serve as an important link between JIO, Churches, Schools and area businesses. What an exciting time. Pray for our own Judy Knapp who serves as the Administrative Officer of the ministry, Susan Warren who serves on the Board of Directors and David Miller serving as Chairman Emeritus. Thank you to all who volunteer hours to serve and to all who bring, literally 1 ton of jelly over the year!

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING: HOLY WEEK CELEBRATION 

This Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday. We will be remembering the last week of Jesus’ ministry here on earth before his death, burial and resurrection. This was a week that changed everything.

Joanne Brown, her crew and a host of talented children will be performing a Children’s Easter Musical on Wednesday night, March 28. This fits in nicely to the “THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING” Holy Week Celebrations. Entitled “Were You There”, the musical will start at 6:30 on Wednesday night, March 28. The Christmas Musical they put together was extremely well done and heartfelt. Come on out for dinner and stay for a wonderful Gospel presentation.

Our Good Friday Worship Service will be Friday night, March 30 at 7:00 pm. It is a more reflective worship experience built around the amazing love of God and the obedience of His Son, our Lord Jesus. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.

And then, no fooling, we will celebrate Resurrection Sunday/Easter on Sunday morning, April 1. I know it seems so weird to celebrate Easter on April fools. I can hear the heavenly conversations now: “So, you finally killed the Son of God and have Him securely placed in a guarded tomb? Looks like the devil won..APRIL FOOL, HE IS NOT THERE HE IS RISEN! Reality…the resurrection changes everything! Join us at 9:45 am for Sunday Bible Study and 11:00 am for Resurrection Sunday Celebration!

Pastor Tom

IT COMES SO NATURAL TO YOU

I am so grateful for a church family that is growing to be more and more outwardly focused. It is the temptation of every believer and every church of local believers to become inwardly focused. It is a slow drift and before we know it we start asking “What about us?” or “What about me?” I think of what God has been able to do at JIBC without too much effort…because God was at work. Think of launching a Chinese church of 100 adults. Pretty cool, right? When the Chinese Church was here at JIBC they flourished because you gave freely. You opened your hearts and the church. We did not charge them a penny and we ended up being the ones blessed beyond measure. How about the Hispanic Church, Luz Y Verdad? They are averaging right around 100 including youth and children. They have grown from a small group to becoming, perhaps the strongest (not the biggest) Hispanic Church in Charleston. Their praise band just played for a gathering of churches hosted by the North American Mission Board. They have their own youth and children’s program and their praise band has made their own praise CD. They feed over 60 families every week with food from the Low Country Food Bank. You sponsor them by providing their worship, mission and educational space….at no charge. And that comes so very natural to you. How about the Transition House? Over 30 women have come through that ministry. It seems so natural to you but remember it is, according to our partners at the Charleston Center, the only one in Charleston that does what we do. I know…it comes so natural to you to take on the giants. A conservative estimate would be $250,000 worth of support you give to just those three ministries. You do it at basically at no charge and you do it so naturally. I could go on and on talking about Celebrate Recovery, the 17 who went with Susan to the Lowcountry Orphan Relief, the 2,000 pounds of jelly you give each year to James Island Outreach and the hours of volunteer labor and leadership, JIBC members who go around the globe serving Him, Connection Groups taking on the great needs of Youth in our community, The WMU building bridges of love to local schools with prayer, and on and on. To God be the Glory. You do it and it seems to come so naturally I think some might believe all churches are doing these things. I wish they were but I am afraid that is not the reality. You are a blessed people and have experienced the grace and presence of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. You experience Him on such a regular basis it seems to come naturally. The truth is it is SUPER-NATURAL. Thank you for being so generous with your blessings. You can see, in more ways that I can show, how it is making a difference. Glory to God Alone!

Pastor Tom

A TIME OF BIRTH AND RE-BIRTH

JIBC has a series of exciting missions and ministry opportunities just around the corner. We celebrate the grace of God that brings birth and rebirth!

First, let’s celebrate re-birth. We have two dates for baptism planned. The first one is this Sunday, March 11. Baptism is the obedient action of making a public profession identifying you as a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a symbolic picture of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether we baptize one or a dozen, we celebrate the re-birth, those who have been born again. We celebrate with family and friends, Sunday School teachers and Awana workers; everyone who has participated in seeing someone accept God’s invitation to follow after the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time to celebrate re-birth. By the way, we also have a baptism celebration planned for April 1, Resurrection Sunday, the ultimate story of birth and rebirth. If you would like to participate in the Easter baptism and have not had contact with the church office, please let us know by calling Neale at 843-762-0244.

Second, is the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center Banquet to be held on Thursday, March 15. Tony Evans is the guest speaker. This is a ministry we support. It is the celebration and recognition that life is sacred and every life is important. This ministry provides counseling, medical services and ongoing support to those who have to make choices concerning pregnancy and sexual health choices. We have had members who served as volunteers as well as members who serve as advocates for this premier ministry. Remember the banquet in your prayers. This is truly a time to celebrate birth!

Third, Pastor Sean and Susan will roll out the “Egg The City” mission this Sunday. I will be teaching on faith and they will be leading us in a major faith mission project. Imagine 3,000 acts of kindness between now and Resurrection Sunday/Easter! Hear the final details this Sunday and let’s get our hearts ready to “Egg The City”.

It is a season of birth and re-birth. By God’s grace, we are born and by His grace we are born again. Let’s celebrate His goodness in a way that makes a difference and leaves an impression!

See you this Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom