WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT JIBC

Come join us on Wednesday evenings beginning September 4...

there's something for everyone!

CHILDREN

Awana  for 3k-6th grade students meets from 6:00—7:30 pm.  During Awana, kids will play games, learn memory verses, participate in Bible Study, learn about missions and make new friends.  Awana is led by Commander Marie Smith and the Awana Ministry Team.

YOUTH

Trek for 7th & 8th grade students meets from 6:30—7:30 pm.  Trek is an Awana program specifically designed for middle school students.  Trek encourages scripture memorization and helps steer teens down the right path of Christ followers.   Trek is led by Audra Rheaume, Hoffman Griffin and Bryon Brown.

"Life Hurts, God Heals" for high school students meets from 6:30 –7:30 pm.  “Life Hurts, God Heals” is a Christ centered recovery program for youth.  Cindy Hunt will facilitate the girls’ group and  Pastor Sean will facilitate the boys’ group. 

ADULTS

Class 301: Discovering my Ministry at JIBC meets from 6:30—7:30 pm.  This class, led by Pastor Tom, will help you discover your spiritual gifts, pass and place of ministry here at JIBC.

First Place 4 Health meets from 6:30—7:30 pm.  Janie Brown leads this 12-week Christ-centered weight loss and healthy living program.  The focus of First Place 4 Health is to give Christ first place in all areas of our lives:  spiritual, emotional, mental and physical.  Cost: New Members $100, Returning Members $20.

Diapers to Diplomas, a Parent Class and Support Group, meets from 6:30—7:30 pm.  Led by Melinda Norris, this 10-week class will cover a variety of topics:  Seasons of Parenting, Parents as Leaders, Dumbest Generation, Technology/Gaming/Electronics, Child Development, Potty Training, Teen Years, Homework Hassles, ADHD, Fatherless America, and Sports/Concussions.

Ephesians Chapter 1 Bible Study meets from 6:30—7:30 pm led by David Baxley  This is a 7-week video based Bible Study about our identity in Christ and the spiritual blessings that are ours because of Jesus Christ.

Finished with 1 John? Never!

 This Sunday we will complete our summer teaching series through 1 John.  It has long since been one of my favorite books in the New Testament. “Believe Right  + Love Right = Live Life”  the way it was designed.  We have looked at some very solid theological teachings as well as some of the most practical applications to this wonderful writing by the Apostle John.

The new September teaching series will be focused on “CONNECTING”.  We really believe it is a powerful word…connecting.  We are beginning a new emphasis where we will refer to all small groups as “connecting groups”.   I know it will be hard, if not next to impossible, for me not to say “Sunday School”.   Nothing wrong with Sunday School.  I have attended one, taught one and been a part of one since I was a child.  But our goal is connecting.  So, we will even refer to our Sunday groups as “Sunday Connection Groups”.  Some groups will meet on Sunday, some will meet during the week; some on campus and some off campus.  All of them will have the goal of connecting.

Think about this.  Our goal is to work with God to help people get connected to God and His family, the church.  Then we want to help them get connected to a group that they can do life with.  A place where they can learn the spiritual disciplines that come with being  a fully devoted follower of Christ.  The next step is to introduce them to the way they can connect with the family of God through service.  How can your unique gifts and abilities add to the family of Christ known as James Island Baptist?  We also want every group to find ways to connect to the community.  Where is God working to reach the lost world?  Let’s connect with Him to reach them.   At the very heart of our desire to connect is worship.  We connect to our Father and Lord Jesus through soul inspiring,

heart-felt worship.

So, here we go.  Let’s get connected.

Pastor Tom

A Great Children’s Camp at Bonnie Doone

Felecia and I have lost count of the number of Children’s Camps we have enjoyed.  I cannot remember a time in my 28 years that we did not have children’s camps.  We go all the way back to Ms. Charlyn and the camps at White Oak and St. Christopher Retreat Center.  Over the years we have seen and experienced some wonderful times.  This year was no exception.

The Bonnie Doone staff has done a really good job of improving the camp facilities and experience.  They have increased their awareness of safety and liability while maintaining a high level of fun for the kids.  If it has been a while since you have visited Bonnie Doone, it would be worth a day trip to go out and visit.  By the way, they have the mansion rented out every weekend of the year.  The entire retreat center is getting more use than ever, enabling them to pay for the much needed improvements and upgrades.  Their future looks as bright as ever with plans to expand and add!  Good job guys.

My thanks to Felecia and her team for putting on a great camp experience for our kids.  Pastor Sean did a good job with the Bible Study and worship times.  The kids had a blast enjoying the beauty of Bonnie Doone.  Thank you, Lord, for the first week in years where we were not combating rain.  We had at least two children make first steps toward becoming followers of Jesus.  We will follow up with their parents.  Something unique happened at family night.  We got a picture of the families who had multiple generations of attending camp at Bonnie Doone.  There were a good number of parents who went to Bonnie Doone as a child who now had children attending.  We also have several of our junior counselors (our youth) who attended camp as kids and were named “future camp counselors”.  How cool to see them now serving in that capacity. 

This year I had no teaching responsibilities.  I went as Camp Pastor to just spend time with our children, to love on them and to spend time with them.  For me, it was time well spent!

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Goodbye Kay, Hello Amber!

Kay Miller has been serving as our custodian here at JIBC. She was going to school to be a pharmacy tech and has been offered a job with more hours at one of our local hospitals. Congratulations Kay. She has served us well and we wish her the absolute best.

Hello Amber! Amber is one of the ladies living at our Transitional House. She is the newest of our residents and was in the process of looking for a job. She has had some years of cleaning with a professional service. This just seemed like great timing. So she will be training with Kay for a couple of weeks and will then be on a “trial run” for a few weeks. We think she will work out great and look forward to having her around.
I will tell you the truth, the Transition House is running about as smooth and as well as I could image. Among the biggest problems we have is taking care of little things like leaks and broken pull strings. If anyone would like to volunteer for a few hours work, we could really use the help. Most of the items are relatively small like that. A breaker trips and now two outlets do not work; a doorbell that does not work; a leak from the upstairs bathroom. Any handymen out there that would like to take on one or more of these projects? Give us a call at the office 762-0244.

It is hard to believe that two of our residents are at the one year mark. One has already been through our Celebrate Recovery leadership training!

Now here is a prayer request for you. Two of our ladies are looking now to “transition” to their next place of residence. Tonya is looking for her own place to rent. It must be at least two bedrooms since she has the twins. If it is three bedrooms, it would give her the option of a roommate to help with expenses. If you would like to help her in this next transition, please let us know. She is employed and has a great future ahead of her.
The second lady looking to transition is Emily. Emily works two jobs and has been very faithful in attending JIBC. She is ready for her next move. If I had my wish come true for her this is what it would be: a mature Christian woman looking to help mentor someone for the next 3 to 6 months. I would love to see one of our senior adults offer a room to Emily. She is able to pay rent on time and is an excellent house cleaner. It could be a senior adult lady or a couple that needs a little extra income, needed help cleaning or just wants to help a young person succeed. You would be helping Emily and providing her next step in transitioning and on her spiritual journey. I really hope one of our church members will be able to help both of these ladies.

Remember, is some way, we are all transitioning. This earth is not our home, we are just passing through!


See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

Blessings Upon Blessings

It was pretty cool hearing Ryan and Kristin Parker this past Sunday.  They are former members who are now serving in East Asia.  They work with Tibetan Buddhists in the Himalayas.  Again, that was pretty cool.  Ten years ago this past Saturday, Janie and I were privileged to marry this young couple.  We traveled to New Haven, Connecticut for the wedding…they traveled to the Himalayas for their ministry!  They did a great job sharing during the Bible Study hour and were gracious to stay around for an hour or so after the worship service.  They have an incredibly interesting work and were glad to share about all that God is doing.  Our thanks to all our staff, teachers and the Kitchen Krew for making this time happen.

Can you imagine going to Kathmandu, Nepal?  I already know a couple of people ready to go.  Imagine walking the Himalayan mountains to share the gospel with an unreached people group;  or joining Kristin in her passion to reach the women of her city.  If you want to know more about their ministry, check them out at:  yakityyakparkers.blogspot.com. You can also find more information at eastasianpeoples.imb.org or facebook.com/eapeoples.  Anyway you do it, you will be amazed.  Really?  Kathmandu and the Himalayas?  Sounds like the vacation of a lifetime!

And the blessings keep on coming.  Two weeks ago I was privileged to baptize my grandson, Noah and his dad, Jerry.  This past Sunday I had the privilege of leading in the Parent/Child Dedication service of four beautiful young families.  Among them was my newest grandchild, Micah Thomas Brown.  I really try not to take for granted the wonderful blessings God has allowed me to experience here at James Island Baptist.  We raised our kids here and now are on the next generation.    I would ask you to remember our daughter, Erin, in your prayers.  She and her husband Trey are expecting.  She has had some very significant health issues associated with this pregnancy.  All prayers and love would be greatly appreciated.

OK. The youth came back from a great week at Mission Fuge (MFuge) and now we are gearing up for a week at Bonnie Doone for Children’s Camp.  Now doubt, the blessings will continue to flow.  Thanks for your prayers.  There is always a need for extra help scholarship a child to camp.  If you would like to make a donation, please call the church office at 762-0244.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

What's happening at JIBC?

The Apostle John writes to us:  “The Life appeared (Jesus); and we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life…we proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us.”  

1 John 1:2,3

Let me share with you what we have seen and heard that you may rejoice and have fellowship/have in common the life Jesus is bringing.  I want to share at least a few highlights of where we are seeing Him working.  I thank you for your continued prayers and your generous giving.  You not only are giving in obedience to His word and getting a great return on your investments.  You are also part of changing lives, sharing light in dark places, giving hope to those with limited options. You are a part of making disciples that make disciples that change the world.

Since January of this year we have seen 21 precious souls baptized into the family of God known as JIBC.  That represents 15 adults, 1 teenager and 5 children.  By the way, at this year’s VBS, we had over a dozen children make first steps toward their professions of faith in Jesus.  No doubt God’s grace will see them follow through with these decisions in the near future. Susan Warren is using this year’s generous VBS offering to assist the Florence Crittenton Home for young unwed mothers.  We will be building ongoing relationships with this vital community service.  Your generous giving above your tithes makes possible the blessings to dozens of young mothers. 

One significant ministry that continues to be blessed is Celebrate Recovery.  The Sunday of our church anniversary, July 14, had over 60 adults in attendance.  They are involved in a Christ-centered 12 Step ministry led by JIBC volunteers.  Your support makes it possible to give them the recovery/discipleship materials needed.  Kickin Chicken, The Charleston Crab House, Stono Café and our CR Kitchen Krew provide for meals each Sunday night.  We have helped train leaders from other churches that will also start Celebrate Recovery Ministries.  Our prayer is that one day there will be Christ Centered Recovery programs offered every night of the week. 

Your Transition House is full at four residents.  Two of them have been there for one year!  Wow! Who would have thought that possible?  You give so generously to these women individually as well as allowing the church to underwrite this ministry.  You are changing lives, helping to set the captives free.  To God be the glory.

You pray, you serve, you lead and you give.  You make it possible to be a church that is focused externally and not just on ourselves.  Of course we have to maintain campus buildings, pay bills and maintain church ministries.  Your giving and your attitude allows us to make a difference, to proclaim life, to invite others to share in the sweet fellowship that we enjoy.

Blessings in the Name of Life who appeared…Jesus!

Pastor Tom

ANSWERED PRAYERS AND THEN SOME…

“Jesus answered, ‘ I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.’”  John 3:5-6

Almost 9 years ago my daughter Brook asked me to be her “birth coach” when her first child was born.  We trained and prepared together anticipating the birth of her son, my first grandchild, Noah.  My daughter, Erin, and I were at her side coaching and Janie was there encouraging.  When Noah was born (of water and flesh as Jesus said), we were there.  They lived with us for the first five years of Noah’s life.  We lived together, prayed together, played together, vacationed together…whatever we did, it was almost always together.  This past Sunday, Noah made his public profession of being born of the Spirit and was baptized.

When Brook and Jerry were married, my first question was about Noah.  Does he have to leave too?  I may have felt more empty nest feeling about Noah leaving than I did my own three children…as much as I loved and still love them.  If you are not yet a grandparent, don’t fool yourself…it is different.  I watched as Noah began asking spiritual questions about God, being baptized and accepting Jesus.  He had been loved by great preschool teachers, children’s Sunday School teachers, VBS and camp counselors as well as by a loving family.

For Noah to say he had accepted Jesus into his heart and wanted to be baptized was a blessing beyond my already answered prayer.  The answer to one of my greatest prayers had happened 9 years earlier.  Living to see my grandson accept Christ and me being able to baptize him…well that was like God showing off.  It was answered prayer and then some.

Now, through a wonderfully complicated series of events, Jerry, (Noah’s dad and Brook’s husband) also had accepted Christ as his Savior and confessed his desire to be a follower of Jesus.  So, last Sunday, the James Island Baptist Church baptized 7 precious souls into the family of God.  Among them… my grandson Noah, and his dad,  my son-in-law, Jerry.

Let’s see…is there anywhere else I would rather be or anything else I would rather be doing?  I can’t imagine.  On the other hand, I have a great Father who can do abundantly more than I can ever imagine!  The Spirit gives birth to spirit.  Can’t wait to see what He does next.

Pastor Tom