Taking on the Giants

The entire army of Israel sat on the sidelines afraid to take on the giant named Goliath. God emboldened young David to not be afraid of a giant. Who would not be afraid of someone almost 10 feet tall wearing 90 pounds of armor? Someone who comes in the name of the LORD… that is who!

You have been willing to take on some of the giants in our community. Year ago you joined me in making a commitment that no one on James Island goes to be hungry unless we don’t know about it. Out of that commitment grew a fledgling effort to repair houses and feed the hungry. That small effort grew and grew into the James Island Outreach that is now making an impact, a real impact in our community, taking on the giant of hunger, helping the underserved. We joined with others willing to stand toe to toe with the giant of hunger and to fight for the underserved. You were willing to take on a giant and you made a difference.

Did you know that Goliath had three brothers? The giant of hunger also has brothers. One of them is addiction. Again, years ago, you journeyed with me as we started Celebrate Recovery taking on one of the giants in our community. It grew and developed into one of the strongest Celebrate Recovery Missions and Ministries in Charleston. It grew to include the Transition House…in my opinion, the biggest and baddest of all Goliaths giant brothers. Almost all addicts, with very few exceptions, are knowingly or unknowingly fighting a mental health issue. The mental health issue becomes the tail that wags the dog so to speak. Every week, every Sunday night, JIBC hosts Celebrate Recovery. Last week we had around 40 in attendance. We are currently refurbishing the Transition House, so we don’t have residents there just now.

Here is my point: these giants, those struggling with additions and mental health issues, have babies and children. They often bring them with them to Celebrate Recovery. Our team has done a great job of providing for them. Here is an excellent article written by Joanne Brown who leads our team of volunteers working with CR Children.

Would you like to make a difference in a child’s life? Are you willing to help a child in need? Children are like wet cement, anything that falls on them makes an impression. The Celebrate Recovery mission at the church is growing, and we are in need of help with care for the wonderful children. Children are a gift from God; let’s make the lasting impression a godly impression. We have ages ranging from 4 weeks through 5th grade. We are looking for some nourishing people to care for a baby, play with preschoolers or hang out with elementary age children. Are you the special person who can make a difference in a sweet child’s life? Matthew 25:40 tells us, “Truly I tell you, whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Celebrate Recovery is a fantastic way to serve our Lord, by helping His children know the love He has for them. (Joanne Brown)

It will take special people to volunteer their time to help these kids. Maybe that is you. You might volunteer 1 night a month, or just one month a year, or every other week? You need to know that you are taking on a giant…or at least the children of those struggling with the giant of addiction. Do you have a passion for children, or recovery, or special needs, or the gift of helps or mercy? Give us a call at the church office, 843.762.0244. Ask for me, Joanne or Neale.

Taking on the giants! I love you JIBC.

Pastor Tom

Blessed to be a blessing…now what?

I think I almost always enjoy my “job” as a Pastor. Of course there are times of struggle when things can get a little bit challenging. But overall, I would say that I really like being a pastor and I love being a pastor at James Island Baptist. My time here has never been a stepping stone to bigger or better. I am aware there are many churches that are bigger…I do not know of any church I would consider “better”. Here recently, we have watched as our church family tries to give away $15,000 to bless the community. Again, it might not be the most fun I have ever had, but it has been the most fun I have had in a while. I am so looking forward to sharing the heart moving stories with you. We plan to do that on Sunday, November 20th as part of our Thanksgiving Sunday Service.

By the way, did you know that you have already given 600 jars of jelly for the underserved people in our community? That is a half of ton or more of grape and strawberry love! And on top of that you have given over 10,000 diapers…that represent a lot of dry and happy babies. Last night we gave some of the diapers to the women from the Charleston Center. They felt like Christmas had already arrived! To God be the glory.

On top of that, you have supplied enough candy for around 1000 kids who will attend this year’s Fall Festival. This coming Monday, October 31, we will throw a big old party for our community. It will be fun and free, hosted by some of the best people God ever created…you!

One of our long time members came for the first time last year. Her response was “Wow, I never knew what I was missing! I had no idea this was so big and so well done!” Pray for the Fall Festival: safety, families, for volunteers who will give away; love and candy. Pray for our safety team led by Bill, the policeman who blesses us each week. Let’s love them in Jesus name and help them have a great family event.

Let me close with an ongoing need we have. One of our most successful, yet most trying ministries is Celebrate Recovery. Last night we have about 40 people in attendance. That means more babies and more children. The challenge is these can be some of the most challenging children. It takes someone with a passion to help those who are hurting but don’t know they are hurting. Maybe you would like to check it out or volunteer for a night or two? Joanne Brown will be more than happy to give you the tour! Just a thought.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”

Have you ever heard that phrase? “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is an old phrase, hard to find its origin. It seems to mean that what is beautiful is subjective. What is beautiful to me might not be so beautiful to you. I have several pieces of art work that would most likely not be considered very beautiful. But in my eyes, they each tell a story and call me to a place of love and peace.

Now, let’s circle back to my point concerning beauty in the eye of your pastor. Janie and I have just returned from a 10 day vacation. We went to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons. As much as we loved seeing those places that is not the “beauty” to which I refer.

When I came into the office today, I walked around and saw the mountain of diapers and the multitude of jelly jars. It was and is a beautiful sight. I know to some it looks out of place to see what looks like a warehouse of diapers and jelly. I have never seen our church campus more beautiful. I am fully aware that to some the diapers are just diapers and the jelly is just jelly. To me, I see little babies being changed, dried and comforted…lots and lots of babies; babies born to moms who opted for life even when it was going to be tough. I see young mothers and fathers picking up free diapers and not believing they are really free. Yep, free and given with love, prayers and gratitude. When I see the hundreds, maybe over 500 jars of jelly, I see two elderly senior adults, living on a fixed income, enjoying jelly on their toast and biscuit; I see kids going to school with the universal “pb&j” sandwich of champions!

I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Look around with a thankful heart at the beauty we see on a regular basis. I looked at the volunteer sheets for the Fall Festival just around the corner. Beautiful. Old members, new members, young members, old members, people helping who are not yet members of JIBC. Beautiful.

Thank you for being salt and light in a community that desperately needs it. You add sweetness, hope, love, and joy. Yes, Janie and I saw some beautiful parts of God’s creation while we were on vacation. None of them are more beautiful in my eye than seeing JIBC reach out to the poor and underserved.

No sight I saw in the National Parks was higher than my joy reading about what you are doing to bless the community in 75 days, in 75 ways. We will plan to share these on Thanksgiving Sunday.

God is good and God is great! Love you in Jesus’ Name.

Pastor Tom

The Vision of Fall Festival

Should the Good Lord tarry in His return, this year will be the 35th Fall Festival here at James Island Baptist Church. Some of us can remember when we first started, everything we did was held inside the Fellowship Hall: food, booths, games, registration…the whole thing…inside the Fellowship Hall. And it was good and it was well attended. We even had a reptile room provided by Mark and Annette Petit.

Now, we use every bit of space we have in our back parking lot and under the oaks. It is still, by far, the largest attended event of the year for JIBC. Let me take a moment are refresh why we do the Fall Festival.

I am aware that Halloween is a favorite celebration for many people. I can make a strong case that Halloween has its origins in the dark side of life with devils and demons and I can make a strong case that it has its origin as a day to honor all saints…and then it got a little “wonky”. None of that really made much of a difference to me. You can argue pro and con till the cows in costume come home; you still will not have decided the matter.

My goal has always been to go head to head with a tradition that seemed to have gone south in many ways. Sure, there was a day when you could and would take candy from strangers, walk the streets late at night without a parent, maybe participate in a, shall we say, minor mischievous activity or two. Now, that just does not make much sense and really does not sound safe. So we go head to head with the cultural phenomena known as Halloween and offer a family friendly, all free, positive alternative. We do not promote, devils and witches, zombies or anything related to the “dark side”. By the way, we also do not allow those kinds of decorations to have a place in our preschool and children’s areas. They occasionally “sneak” in…but they sneak back out just as fast!

My belief is “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” This is the Lord’s day, not the devils day. We don’t run and hide. 1 John 4:4 says “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.” We are not taking this day back from the devil. He never had the ability to take it from God. October 31 is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and have a Fall Festival celebrating it! Let’s show the community how to have a holy party and let them rub elbows with followers of Jesus.

See you this week, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race” 2 Timothy 4:7

It is not how you start the race that counts, it is how you finish! Our JIBC family finished the “jelly” race in record time. Now, you are running a marathon! I had set a goal, a good goal, of asking our church family to bring 75 jars of jelly and 75 packages of diapers each month: September, October and November. Then I got a little more ambitious and asked that we go ahead and do the same thing for Advent in December. The jelly and diapers are to bless our ministry partners at James Island Outreach and Lowcountry Pregnancy Center. Wow, the starter pistol fired and the church family and friends went onto a record breaking pace. During September, you brought over 400 jars of jelly. Technically, you brought 350 jars of jelly and 57 jars of peanut butter. You reached and exceeded the entire 4 month goal in less than one month. We have 4 large displays where you can drop off jelly and diapers. Each of the four displays almost equaled the goal we set for each month.

Now, as impressive as those collection areas are please don’t miss the real picture. This month, there will be widows and under-served senior adults who will enjoy jelly on their biscuits or toast. There will be children going to school with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because mom or grandmom went by James Island Outreach and found lots of jelly! Picture over 350 newborn babies who get dry diapers as needed. Picture a single mom not having to spend $30.00 on a pack of diapers.

Thank you all for giving. Thank you for leveraging your influence to lead others to give. One coach led the football team to bring over 100 jars of jelly and the 57 jars of peanut butter. One teacher led her class to bring formula and diapers…and they brought a lot, a whole lot! Commander ReRe and her team led the Awana kids to bring over 100 jars of jelly.

We are starting to receive some of the stories of what you did with the Blessing Envelopes. I cannot wait to share the stories. I will need help telling those stories. My eyes are leaking already. We gave out 180 Blessing Envelopes to our church family and friends. Crazy, right? You didn’t even have to be a member to receive and envelope with $75 cash for you to use to be a blessing. No strings attached, no real instructions, just pray and ask God to lead you or…just do what your heart says to do! There are still a few envelopes left. Contact Neale in the church office if you would like to participate.

Blessed to be a blessing is a part of who we are and a part of how we live out our faith as followers of Jesus Christ. It is who we are it is what we do. And I am glad Janie and I are a part of it all!

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Really, I am honored to pastor this church family.

Blessing in the Great Name of Jesus,

Pastor Tom

“My heart is moved with a good theme” Psalm 45:1

Monday morning during my quiet time, this verse is from the Psalms I read that day: “My heart is moved with a good theme”. I stopped a moment to think about two things. One, I want my heart to be moved with good themes, not bad themes. It is easy to let my heart feel discouraged, negative, mad or sad. Watching the evening news can make me feel all four of those at one time. Discouragement and negativity are enemies of our spiritual good health. The enemy flourishes when God’s people feel defeated and live in an atmosphere of negative thoughts and actions. So, I asked the good Lord to help me remember the good, to rejoice and give thanks, to be aware of His blessings that my heart would be moved with a good theme.

This past Sunday was one of the days it was easy for my heart to be “moved with a good theme”. We had a packed house for worship and observance of the Lord’s Supper. The 75th Anniversary Party was a wonderful success. The list of people who helped is too long to mention. We are, none the less, so very grateful. The set up team was finished in 30 minutes. The decoration team moved in and lifted the atmosphere to the next level. The beautiful chatter of fellowship was heard inside the Edisto Hall as well as outside under the oaks. Our Father provided a most excellent day of weather. Wildflower Station performed at a new level! We had so much fun listening to them play. We were blessed by so many guests, former members and members attending. Home Team BBQ served 279 people at the park!

Keep on praying about how you will bless the community in the “75 Ways in 75 Days” Mission. So far, the stories turned in have been fantastic. Some, extremely simple and humble while others are next level creative and productive. By the way, the goal of 75 jars of jelly during September was met and exceeded! Our Mission/Ministry partners at James Island Outreach will be pleased to restock their shelves with jelly. Remember, we will be colleting during October, November and December. The same results about diapers! Wow, we have a small mountain of diapers for our Mission/Ministry Partners at the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center.

Have I told you lately that I love you? I really do. I love our Church Family!

This Sunday I plan to conclude the teaching series “Blessed To Be A Blessing”. We will look at blessing others with the little things of life. Hope you will be present. Let’s try to praise more, give thanks more and do something kind more. It is kingdom living.

Pastor Tom

READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!

 

I can hardly believe the 75th JIBC Anniversary Sunday is here. As I have said often, this is not the actual church anniversary date. We have in the past celebrated the church anniversary on the second Sunday of July. When you see how beautiful this Sunday is you will fully understand why we changed to September! Let me go over a few important items about this Sunday’s Celebration.

WORSHIP. We will have only one worship service this Sunday. The 9:00 Worship Service will join us at the 11:00. We will have Connection Groups at 10:00 as usual. We are planning to observe the Lord’s Supper this Sunday. Depending on how long our preacher goes, we will try to dismiss at 12:00.

JAMES ISLAND COUNTY PARK/EDISTO HALL: Sunday, September 25 at 12:30. We are planning to meet at JIC Park at 12:30 for the celebration. We will have park passes at the 11:00 service. You may pick them up, at no charge to you, at the same tables where we are giving out the Blessing Envelopes. We have purchased enough tickets for 250 people. There will be seating inside and out. We plan to eat and fellowship from 12:30 till 1:45. Then, we will enjoy a concert by Wildflower Station. We have paid for a photo booth to be available for 2 hours. Make sure you stop by for a mug shot! Just a little reminder of our Anniversary fun day. Our meal will be catered by Home Team BBQ. We have had 250 sign up so far. We could not have put 250 in the Fellowship Hall, so renting a place off campus was a great idea. You and your family may stay and enjoy the park all day long. We will wrap up our festivities around 3:30. Come on out and enjoy. Please wear your name tag!

BLESSING ENVELOPES. Our finance team has made it possible for us to distribute $75 to up to 200 people. As of this past Sunday, we have given out 120. We have 80 left for this Sunday. Hallelujah! We have set aside $15,000 for our church family and friends to use to bless our community. This is a part of the larger plan to find 75 ways to bless our community in 75 days. I thought blessing our community would be a great way to honor our Father in Heaven; keep faith with all those who went before us at JIBC; and be in keeping with who we are as a church family. The stories I have heard so far are creative, wonderful and heartfelt. I can hardly wait to share them with you!

Well, there you have it. That is about as short and brief as I could make it and still cover all the details.

If you need other info, please feel free to call the office at 843.762.0244. Ready or not, here it comes, Sunday, September 25!

Pastor Tom