JIBC Events

SPRING BANQUET: “IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK” 

Our Annual Spring Banquet is just around the corner, Saturday, May 18. As you know, it is a wonderful night of fun, a great meal, and…ok…let’s say interesting talent. There are moments of greatness mixed with moments of “I can’t believe they did that!” Our Activities Team has been meeting and will have tickets available this week. There is limited seating and it is a ticked event. If you have someone you are building a relationship with, this is a great event to invite them to attend with you. Buy their tickets and bring them with you.

BLESSED 2 B A BLESSING 

We are in a church wide emphasis called “Blessed 2 B A Blessing”. My goal is to teach 6 Biblical messages that speak of how the JIBC family can be a blessing to our families, our community, our city and the world.

1. It starts with God’s Word. Six biblical messages and memorizing 3 Bible verses together. The first one is: “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing…and all the people on the earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2,3

2. Supported with Prayer. This past Sunday we looked at how we could “remember them, bless them, and cover them in prayer”. The prayer cards will be available on the tables in the back of the worship center and on the side tables as you enter the worship center.

3. We are asking every Connection Group, those that meet on Sunday mornings and those that meet during the week, to consider an outreach project into the community that would bless someone. Pastor Sean will be speaking about this a little more this Sunday morning. It is our calling to get the salt out of the shaker (the believers out of the building) into the community. Your class may be full steam into a project already or have one on the drawing board. You do not have to change it or add another one…let’s just commit to doing it together during these next weeks.

4. Here is the fun one: invite someone to eat with you. Look at your circle of influence, people that you know or would like to know. Invite them to your home or out to eat as a way of building relationships with them. Look for a way to share your story. One thing we can do well is eat! Now let’s eat with a purpose. Gotta love it.

5. Here is the really BIG one. Let’s be in prayer about an area of darkness, some spiritual giant, we might take on. Imagine changing the culture, making a lasting difference in the community, doing something that would really require God to show up. We can do it. Where have you felt passionate? What area of spiritual darkness has really grabbed your heart? By the way, you are not looking for something for the rest of the church to do…this is something for you and/or your small group. I repeat, this is not you finding something for other people to do. We will be hosting a mission fair on Sunday, June 2, inviting area missions and ministries to come and introduce their work to our church family. Perhaps you will find a mission there?

6. Last, but certainly not least, pray about someone you know that you could invite to your small group or worship. The simple invite is still the most effective way to reach the unchurched or under- churched. We are blessed to be a blessing.



Looking forward to blessing, Pastor Tom

Blessed 2 B A Blessing

For the next 7-8 weeks, I will be leading in a series of messages on living a missional life.  The basic idea is an old one…you are blessed to be a blessing.   I have used this title before years ago.  It is a clear way to express a biblical truth: we are blessed and are blessed so we can be a blessing.  Living a life where we pay it forward and pass it on is a biblical life.  There are several parts of this emphasis;

1. We are inviting all small groups, Bible Study classes and members to participate.

2. We are going to memorize three verses of scripture together.  The first one, starting this week is Genesis 12:2,3; then 2 Corinthians 9:8,11; and last, Ephesians 2:10;  We will give you memorization cards each week and/or you can pick them up at the worship center doors.

3. We are going to pray specifically, as a church family, for someone you know who is in need.  We will look to the Acts 16 story of the power of God and the faithfulness of God’s people in prayer.

4. We are asking that you and/or your small group find a project to bless someone in need.  In Mark 2 we read the story of the four men who brought their friend to Jesus.  Jesus was quite clear when he said their faith made him whole.  Who can you bless?

5. Here is another fun one I call “Eating Evangelism”.  Invite someone that you know to go out to dinner with you.  Use the intimacy of a shared meal as a way to get to know someone.

6. Put on your full armor for this one.  I am asking that you  and/or your small group prayerfully consider taking on one of the spiritual giants in our community.  There are great, ongoing needs like poverty, illiteracy, family brokenness, substance abuse, etc.  What could you do?  The real question is what could God do?  We will have a Mission fair, probably on Sunday, June 2 to present multiple ideas of mission impact opportunities.

7. Last, begin praying about an unchurched or underchurched friend you could invite to your Bible Study or to worship.  A simple invitation is still the most effective form of evangelism for our church family.

There you have it in a nutshell…Blessed 2 B A Blessing.  What is missing? It has prayer, memorizing God’s Word, Gospel messages, outreach into the community, fellowship of small groups, and service to the body of Christ.  I love it.  I am excited about the possibilities.

See you this Sunday…good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

Parenting By The Book

The first four Wednesdays of May will provide a great opportunity for family ministry.  Melinda Norris will be teaching a parenting seminar using “Parenting By The Book”, a book written by John Rosemond.  It is a down to earth, common sense approach to parenting based on God’s Word.

Rosemond is an accomplished counselor and educator.  He has worked in the mental health field on multiple levels: counselor, educator, mental health programs, family psychologist, columnist, speaker and writer.  He has been married for 40 years, has two grown successful children and seven grandchildren.

Melinda Norris will be teaching this class.  She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in Early Childhood Education.  She has served as the editor of “Wee Remember”, a newsletter for Piedmont Medical Center and is a frequent speaker at Palmetto Health Hospital to educate doctors and nurses on the loss of a child.  Melinda is a Certified Parent Coach in the Rosemond Leadership Parenting Institute.  She and her husband Paul have been married for 25 years and have two college age children, both attending the University of South Carolina.  Melinda and Paul are members here at JIBC.

I am so very pleased to have this course offered.  If I could arrange it, I would have it offered on a continual basis.  As our friend James Dobson says, “Parenting is not for cowards”.  We can use all the help we can get.  How fortunate and blessed we are to have someone who is qualified and willing to serve as a coach to our parents.

If you have children, I want to encourage you to set aside the first four Wednesday nights of May for this family ministry.  Mark your calendar, May 1, 8, 15, and 22 at 6:15 each night.  Come enjoy the Wednesday night meal and fellowship from 5:30-6:30.  Then stay and  join us in the worship center/sanctuary for this seminar. I am doing everything I can to encourage parents to attend.  Parents and grandparents will find this to be helpful.

My sincere appreciation to Melinda for being willing to share and  to Susan Warren for making it happen.  Put it on your calendar today.

Pastor Tom

Giving Thanks

I want to give God thanks and glory for the many evidences of His grace and peace in the James Island Baptist family. Here are a few I can share. There are many more I do not know about…which I love. There is so much is going on I cannot keep up with it all.

First, rejoice that our Transition House is full with four women and three children. Two of the residents have been there for a little over 6 months. In a related ministry, Celebrate Recovery has been running 50 adults and 10 children. Darryl Young is leading his third leadership training and already has the fourth on the calendar. We met with a sister church to help train their leaders just recently. Your generous giving and support bless both of these missions.

I am so glad to have our three new staff members on board. I know you are, or soon will be, enjoying their ministry and leadership. We welcome Sean Rheaume (the new Youth Pastor/ Pastor of Family Ministries), Susan Warren (Connection Group Leader/Administrator of Church Ministries) and Fred Hudson (Interim Worship Leader). I believe we have as strong a team as ever.
We rejoice that since January we have baptized 14 people into the family of God known as James Island Baptist and have welcomed 9 into church membership. God is so good and blesses us with new additions. This year’s Easter service was, I believe, the largest attended service in my 27 years here at JIBC. We have definitely reached the time for a second Easter Service! I sure like growing problems better than dying problems…amen?
We finished the 2012 church year with a strong financial finish. That allowed us to do some much needed repairs around the campus as well as give to some mission projects that we had not planned on. We were glad to do both. The first quarter of 2013 has also finished strong. For this January –March, we planned and believed we would receive $135,985 in tithes and offerings. We have actually received $138,789 which is a little over our projected mission and ministry needs. I am so grateful for the faithful giving or our church family and friends. That has allowed us to help Brent and Jess Gordon prepare for Baltimore and, at the same time, bring Sean on full time. That is directly giving to North American Missions!

Among the many things I love about our church family, one of them is your willingness to take Jesus to the dark places of the world. Thank you for taking His love outside the walls. I pray you, your family, your small group or your Bible Study Class will continue to make a difference!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Tom

THE DECISION IS MADE

THE DECISION IS MADE

Next year, we will plan to have two Easter Services!  This was one of the most enjoyable days of the year for me.  I concluded a series of messages I entitled “Broken Characters Around the Cross.”  My prayer was to show a picture of a Good and Beautiful God and what He did for us through His Son, our Lord Jesus.   I have seen our worship center packed before.  Usually, every Christmas Eve service is completely full.  This past Sunday was beyond standing room only.  The entire Hispanic congregation had to stand…there were no more seats.  We started the service with extra chairs and kept on bringing them in up to the very end of the service.  It was, without a doubt, the most people I have seen in the worship center in my 27 years!  Wow.

I am sure I cannot thank everyone who handle such a great situation, but let me try.  Thanks to the folks who hauled in and out the extra chairs.

Thanks to our nursery and children’s workers.  You guys are the best.  There is no way to handle the service as we do if we have to compete with “preschool praisers.”  You served the Body of Christ well.  I know the Children’s All Star Worship had a great time with our new staff pastor, Sean.

Thanks to Susan Warren and the greeter team…you had your work cut out for you on Sunday!  Whoohoohallalujah.  You guys were awesome.  Fred and the entire praise team and band did an outstanding job.  Back to back services, Good Friday and Easter.  Thank you for the extra work and preparation.  You led us to celebrate Christ and worship our Father.  And the baptism team members handle the 11 baptisms with grace…and quick mops.

It is a true joy to combine the 8:30, 11:00, Chinese, and  Hispanic services.  Next year, however, good Lord willing, you will have options of multiple services.

Now, full steam ahead!  See you Sunday, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

SHOWERS OF BLESSING

Showers of Blessing…are you kidding me?  

This Sunday was one of the hardest rain storms I can remember with the exception of hurricanes.  I could not blame anyone for hunkering down, sleeping late, and watching your favorite television pastor.  For those who did brave the downpour, I pray your cup was filled with His Spirit…not just rain water!  Showers of blessings were the order of the day.

First Blessing I give thanks for:  The Parent Child Dedication.  What a beautiful sight when our Father blesses us with new life.  We celebrate with Ron and Jill Cipriano who brought their precious Amelia James, born January 13, for dedication.  Amelia’s big sister, Anna, was present to participate in the dedication as well.  Then we had the pleasure of praying with Randy and Tula Hilyer as they dedicated little Zoe to the Lord’s care and grace.  Seeing big sisters, Kiki and Yianna, reminds us of how the Lord has blessed this family as well.  Thank you for being a church family that welcomes and provides for such blessed additions.  Our preschool and children’s volunteers make JIBC a place families desire to bring their children.  May we always serve Him with excellence as we reach this beautiful generation.

A second blessing you might not get to see is the Celebrate Recovery Ministry.  This past Sunday night, we had 50 adults in attendance and 10 children.  Ten of them were from the Charleston Center.  It was very tender to see them ask for “seconds” of the salad, so they could take some back to the Charleston Center to eat later.  Thankfully, we had seconds to give them!  We are grateful to The Crab House, Kickin Chicken, Stono Café, and our own Kitchen Team for providing a wonderful meal for this group.  Celebrate Recovery meets every Sunday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This week we met early to help provide training for a sister church interested in beginning a Celebrate Recovery Ministry at their church campus.  I pray they will be successful.

The third blessing is yet to come…Passion Week.  I am looking forward to the Good Friday service, a more contemplative service of reflection and remembering.  Join us this Friday at 7 p.m. for readings from the Gospel of Mark, worship focused around Christ’s suffering, and Communion in remembrance of Him.  As we say…it is Friday, but Sunday’s coming.  This Sunday is the Easter Celebration.  We have at least 8 baptisms planned.  We will have the annual “flowering of the cross.”  You are invited to bring flowers from your yard (or a neighbors!) to place on the cross that will be located in the front of the worship center, to the right of the stage as you are looking at it.  It is always a beautiful display.

Showers of blessings? Of course.  God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

See you this weekend, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

SEAN'S STORY AND VISION OF MINISTRY

SEAN’S STORY

            

Sean Rheaume was born in Atlanta, GA in 1974.  He grew up mainly in Atlanta and Columbus GA with a few stints in Montreal Canada, the birth place of his father.  His parents divorced when he was in High School and his mother remarried.  He grew up mostly unchurched but  during a particularly low point in his life he called out to God and God heard his cry.  He attended Morningside Baptist Church and there surrendered his life not only to following Jesus but to serving him as well.  Sean became the President of the Baptist Student Union his freshman year and entered into vocational youth ministry when he was eighteen years old.

Sean moved to Charleston in 1996 to attend Charleston Southern University to participate in their Youth Ministry Degree program.  After 3 years Sean left Charleston to go back to Columbus and there married his best friend, Audra.  They have been in ministry together ever since in Columbus, North Charleston and Moncks Corner.  The last 2 years Sean and Audra have taken a break from ministry and for a while opened a coffee shop in a bar district in downtown Columbus. 

 They have 3 wonderful children, Emily (10) Avery (7) and Sean Thomas (2) and a Labrador/Shepherd mix Maxi.  Audra has a bachelor’s degree in Math/Science from Lee University and Sean is completing his degree at Luther Rice Seminary.  Sean plays golf, guitar, is a barista and a die-hard UGA/Falcons football fan.  Audra is an artist, photographer, singer and cross stitcher.

VISION OF MINISTRY

 Years ago I developed the tagline "Reaching Families one Teenager at a time."  That is my philosophy.  I will use the Purpose Driven Circle strategy of moving people from the Community all the way to the Core.  I believe that in 2 years we will be filled to capacity in every venue at JIBC.

How?  By developing solid teams in the area of Children and Youth Ministries and working with the teams to build a foundation for families to grow.