SRBA HISTORICAL REPORT 2009
In the ninth year of the first decade of the 21st century, we find the Savannah River Baptist Association going about our Father’s business. The association held the Annual Fall Meeting at Maye River Baptist Church on 21 October 2008. Ron Barker, Evangelism and Prayer Strategist of the SCBC Evangelism and Mission Team was guest speaker.
A Thanksgiving feast was served at Hunting Island State Park November 27, 2008. Several churches volunteered to serve over 130 meals to campers and park staff. Our chaplains at Hunting Island hosted the event.
The Christmas Season started with an observance of the Week of Prayer for International Missions. There were 422 Christmas Prison Packets collected by the churches for distribution to our prison population through the annual SC Baptist Convention project. Sixty-five children who have one or both parents incarcerated received Christmas gifts from SRBA churches in partnership with the Angel Tree ministry of SC Prison Fellowship Ministries. Happy Birthday Jesus Parties were conducted by people from more than fifteen SRBA churches with the help of thirty-two college students and other individuals in six different communities. The parties helped low-income children experience God’s love at Christmas time.
SRBA hosted Intentional Missionary Training from March 3 to May 5 in Ridgeland, Beaufort and Bluffton. The sessions were led by Steve Scudder and Larry Leming. Recognizing that every Christian is called to be missionary, participants learned how to see, pray, and act like missionaries in the six mission fields they are in every day (home, work or school, local community, the wider world, their leisure activity, and their church).
The association Men’s Ministries Meeting was March 27 at Okatee Baptist Church with Bobby Jackson as guest speaker. A Disaster Relief Task Force has been formed for Savannah River Baptist Association. They will assist in training and logistics of Disaster Relief.
Our Annual Spring Meeting was held at St. Helena Baptist Church on April 26. The theme was “Putting a Face on Grace.” Dr. Richard Blackaby was the guest speaker and author of Putting a Face on Grace. Richard’s son, Daniel, led a session for youth.
VBS Training Clinic was held at Okatee Baptist Church April 25 with fifty-four teachers/leaders in attendance. Associational VBS Director was Myra Mastriani.
The WMU of the association held its Annual Meeting April 28 at Riverview Baptist Church with over forty people in attendance. Rodolph Dixon shared stories from the mission field in Peru.
The Week of Prayer for Associational Missions was May 17-23. The Clarence and Christine Hanshew Offering for Associational Missions were set at $13,900.
A Spiritual Awakening was held for ministers May 18-19. Twelve churches attended the two day event with all receiving a spiritual blessing.
A Migrant Vacation Bible School was held June 15-18 and 22-25 at St. Helena Baptist for migrant workers in the area. Six-hundred seventy-seven migrants participated and 212 made professions of faith.
Respectively Submitted,
Gerald Wynn
