Missions Ministries 2009 Annual Report

In Psalm 24:1, we read that the whole Earth belongs to God, the world and all its people are His and His alone.   What an incredible, yet humbling thought!!! As we travel the roads of Beaufort and Jasper counties, it’s all His.   As we move throughout the state of South Carolina, it’s all His. As we cross the states of America, it’s all His.   And even as we go to the ends of the Earth, it is still all His!!! Every person we pass, every face we see is a child of the almighty creator, just like us. He made us all in His image and He loves us all the same and desires to draw all people to Him!!!   Out of this beautiful thought was born our theme for this past year…..It’s all Yours, God. It was and is our desire that as we go about our daily lives, we realize that everyone belongs to Him and is worthy of our time and effort in bringing them into a loving relationship with their almighty creator!!!

Volunteers

Volunteers are essential. As they serve, they bring an excitement and joy that is simply contagious. In 2009, our volunteers included all age ranges, a variety of backgrounds and those who were seasoned mission volunteers to those who were having their very first mission experience. Each of our volunteers, whether local or outside our area, truly made a lasting and eternal impact upon the people of the low country. What a blessing and a privilege to be able to work with these precious people and experience their joy at sharing the love and message of Christ with those around them. Listed below are a few highlights of how God used our volunteers this past year to impact our culture. God bless you all….

• During the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, over 40 volunteers from 6 of our SRBA churches provided holiday events in several of our multihousing locations.   4 of these churches continue to provide ongoing ministry at these same locations.
• Once again this year, volunteers from 3 association churches joined hands with Chaplains, Bob and Lou Ann Valentine, as they prepared and served Thanksgiving lunch for the campers and staff of Hunting Island State Park. Over 150 people enjoyed a time of food, fun and thanksgiving. 
• Volunteers from our association WMU’s helped provide toys and supplies that were used for our Happy Birthday Jesus parties and other Christmas needs. Thank you ladies!!!
• This year we were again able to partner with the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree network to provide Christmas presents for almost 80 children in our area who have one or both parents in prison.   Local volunteers worked with state bcm college students to provide this ministry, in which the true Christmas story was shared with all.
• In 2009, our association partnered with the South Carolina Baptist Convention in providing prisoner packets to be used to minister to inmates across our state. As an association, we were able to collect 424 packets. Our goal for 2010 is 400.
•  In April of 2009, we were blessed to once again return to Lynch, KY and work with our mission partners, Meridzo Center Ministries. 34 volunteers, representing 5 of our association churches participated in a variety of ministries including construction, backyard bible clubs, prayerwalking, community ministries, and many one on one evangelism opportunities. For some, this was their first missions experience and has created a passion for serving those here in Beaufort and Jasper counties. 
• Volunteers come from our local association and from outside our area. In 2009, we have been blessed to work with almost 400.  They have and continue to impact our resorts and communities for Christ through construction projects, sports camps, backyard bible clubs, prayer walking, creative arts ministries, music ministry and more. Because these volunteers truly believe that it’s all God’s, 43 new believers have been added to the kingdom. Many existing believers have been encouraged in their walk and other decisions have been made including some volunteers answering God’s call to a life of full-time Christian service. 
• During the summer of 2009, we welcomed 14 college students that answered God’s call to serve the Savannah River Baptist Association through summer missions. These students were from a variety of states and brought a unique passion for Christ and serving others to our area.   Through a variety of ministries they impacted the resorts and communities of Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties as they touched lives ranging in age from small children to senior adults from all levels of economic situations. These college students also made very intentional efforts in partnering with and becoming a part of our SRBA churches. This was accomplished in a variety of ways including partnering with 15 of our association churches through VBS assistance, church attendance, leading and participating in times of worship, special events ministry and more. They kept themselves grounded in the word through times of personal and corporate Bible study and truly served the low country with a Godly servant’s heart. 
• All of our Hunting Island chaplains provide such a valuable service as they minister on a daily basis in the park and help assist other volunteers, such as our mission teams and local church volunteers. Bob and Lou Ann Valentine returned to HISP as chaplains for the spring and fall for their tenth term and Butch and Vi Riek returned for the their second term as summer chaplains. These couples bring with them a deep passion and love for this ministry and for sharing Christ with those they come in contact with.

I wish there were adequate words to describe my heartfelt gratitude to all of the volunteers that have given of themselves to further God’s kingdom. May He, whom we continue to serve, meet your every need and may you always feel His presence surrounding you!!!!

Mission Partnerships

Because we are an Acts 1:8 association, we have and are continuing to develop partnerships in Beaufort and Jasper counties, in South Carolina, in North America and to the ends of the earth. Listed below are some of our formal and informal partners. Please pray and ask God to guide you as to which area He would have you be involved in. 

Local partners:                                                                      
Beaufort Housing Authority                                                   
Boys and Girls Clubs of the LowCountry                            
Habitat for Humanity                                     
Shore Beach Services
Hunting Island State park
Jasper Co. Council on Aging
United Way

South Carolina partners:
Southside Baptist - Spartanburg
Rocky Creek - Greenville

North American partners:
Meridzo Center Ministries - Lynch, KY
Nova Scotia, Canada - Mission trip - May 2010

International partners:
Southeast Asia

Thank you, Savannah River Baptist Association, for the pleasure of serving alongside you these past ten years, the first five as a fellow volunteer and the past five as your NAMB missionary. By serving together, God has allowed us to see many lives transformed through His story in action. May we never forget that He is the reason we are here and that the whole Earth and everyone in it belong to Him. As we each walk the road that is before us, let us continue to acknowledge Him in all our ways and allow Him to direct our paths!!!! 

Serving together,

Larry Leming