Thursday Thoughts

I must say what a year it has been…to not only spend a summer on staff here working with these youth and the church staff but throughout the whole year was an experience that I’ll never forget; to be able to grow closer with our new sixth graders and, of course, our current youthies is something amazing to experience outside of summers. It may be shocking, but this was my fifth summer, and I have yet to grow bored, feel burned out or too terribly annoyed with working with youth. I mean, you all must understand youth ministry is not a walk in the park, but I LOVE just about every minute I get to spend with y’all!! Sure, you all have been learning and growing in faith and personhood but so have I! You have all taught me so much and allowed me to teach and learn alongside you! I wouldn’t trade anything for the last five years.  

And this last year, I have gotten to be here to join in on Wednesday nights and teach a few of them, which was so fun and, I must say, sometimes a little scary. But I can’t be too scared when I am teaching these amazing youth! Along with Wednesday nights, I was also able to help plan our fall retreat, something I have never gotten to take a big part in years past and what a retreat it was, where we got to learn and walk through our Belovedness in God and how we are each unique and loved in the eyes of God.

Along with Wednesday nights and our fall retreat, I was also finally able to see our youth in action in the various activities they do, whether it was football, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, color guard, baseball, dance team or anything else that has unfortunately slipped my mind. It gives me such joy that they want Sarah and myself there to watch. Now even with all that was going on this year I cannot fail to mention all the moving, I have done so much moving this year, packing books up, moving them to one place, then a few months later moving them again, just to name one part! If you want to hear more about how much furniture we have moved/put together, find literally any staff member, and you’ll find out just how much! But I digress!

Camp this year was something else! We had a smaller group this year, which is not a bad thing! We got to go up a day earlier, which I loved, giving us all an extra day to move in and get comfy. I saw a whole other side of camp as an official member of their admin team, getting to see its inner workings. I was able to teach a Bible study yet again with the awesome John Sheetz, where we talked about rising above apathy, noise, and how we can rise above together, all while walking through the book of Micah. And I must say I lucked out and got a pretty great group of kids yet again this year. Along with teaching, I was able to lead my volleyball elective, which is always a blast to be part of, to meet kids who are not from here who are always pretty great, and to catch up with kids who have been coming back to this elective as long as I have been doing it. Some of the best moments of that week were the little moments, the late-night hangouts with the group, eating together, or just seeing any of the youth on the way to bible study or to seminars and getting a wave and a smile or a fist bump out of them was so fun and brightened my day! Yes, it was a week full of late nights and early mornings, sleep scores of 60 and below, and eye bags, of course, but it’s all worth it if they had a blast and slept all the way home!!

But I have truly gotten to experience so many new things while working here throughout the years, and I could not be more grateful to this church, which has invested in me for so long. For this church that has encouraged me and has taught me so much, thank you, and for Sarah, the superstar she is, thank you for all that you have taught me and will continue to teach me in the years to come! As you already know, August 14 was my last day with the title of Youth Family Intern, and as much as it saddens me to leave my home, I guess I should spread my wings and experience new things. That being said, you have not seen the last of me, because this is my home, so I’ll say see you later rather than goodbye!

See y’all later,

Emily Berry

We are delighted to share exciting news from Just Housing Assistance (JHA), a new ministry of our church. After more than a year of prayer, planning, and preparation, JHA has officially helped its first two clients in securing safe, affordable housing. JHA’s mission is to provide financial assistance to individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity due to unaffordable rents or up-front housing costs by offering help with first month’s rent, security deposits, utility deposits, and/or monthly rental subsidies.

This milestone represents the culmination of many hours invested by JHA board who worked diligently to build a strong foundation for this ministry. Over the past year, our team has developed comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure that assistance is provided responsibly, effectively, and with compassion.

In addition to developing our organizational framework, JHA has been building relationships with community partners who share our commitment to helping our neighbors thrive. We are especially grateful for partnerships with organizations such as The Salvation Army. Their LifNav program offers participants case management, coaching and budgeting support. We believe that financial aid is most effective when it is combined with ongoing support.

And the work continues as we have applied for a community grant that would provide additional resources to strengthen our efforts to address the lack of affordable housing in our community. We will continue to seek other grants to help grow this ministry.

Today, we celebrate more than just the success of our first clients. We celebrate God’s faithfulness throughout this journey. We celebrate the members who invested their time and expertise. We celebrate the generosity of church members whose prayers, encouragement, and financial support have made this ministry possible.

Most importantly, we celebrate the lives that are being impacted. Safe and stable housing provides more than a roof overhead, it offers security, dignity, hope, and a foundation upon which individuals and families can build a brighter future.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to our mission of serving Aiken County residents experiencing housing insecurity through temporary rental assistance, housing support, and partnerships that promote long-term stability. We invite our church family to continue praying for the individuals and families we serve, for our community partners, and for the continued growth of this ministry.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are putting faith into action and helping our neighbors find a place to call home.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2

Katherine Hicks, on behalf of Just Housing Assistance Board

JHA Board members:

Allen Hicks, Chair     John Carroll, Staff Liaison

Tom Hallman              Amanda Crooks

Debra Haney              Katherine Hicks

Sam Jordan                 Rose Ann Pistole

Hello, Church Family!

It might feel a little early to be thinking about Christmas trees and nativity sets while the summer sun is still shining, but our music ministry is already gearing up for the most wonderful time of the year!

I am so excited to invite you to our Christmas Cantata Kickoff on Sunday, September 13th, from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm. This year, we have the joy of presenting Carols – A Cantata for Congregation and Choir by Heather Sorenson, which we will share with the congregation on December 13th during our 11:00 am morning worship.

Our kickoff event is the perfect time to come together, get a feel for this beautiful music, and enjoy some wonderful fellowship. We’ll spend the first part of our afternoon singing through the piece, and then at 5:00 pm, we’ll put our music folders down and share a delicious dinner together.

If you’ve ever considered singing with the choir, this is a perfect opportunity to help lead our church in worship. Moving forward from the kickoff, we will dedicate the first 45 minutes of our regular Wednesday evening rehearsals (starting at 7:30 pm) to preparing the cantata. And please hear this: even if your schedule doesn’t allow you to make every single rehearsal, we still want you! Our goal is to absolutely fill the choir loft to celebrate this special season.

If you plan to join us for the kickoff, please use the registration link below so we can get an accurate headcount for the meal. Last year we had 40 people in the cantata choir. I know we can top that number this year! I look forward to this joyous opportunity!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Zach Derr

Signup here!

https://subsplash.com/aikensfirstbaptistc/lb/ev/+2y2zbk4

Summer has once again come to an end. While it was much quicker than any of us would like, we had an absolute blast!

Within the Youth Ministry, Emily and I do our best to fill our summer calendar with activities that can hopefully reach all our students regardless of jobs, sports, or other summer responsibilities. We’ve had events ranging from a 10 am start to a 7 pm start. Early lunches to late dinners. Team building games in the park to an afternoon in the arcade. A pop-up evening pool party to an all-day lake day. Not to mention our children and youth spending a week at Passport Kids and Unidiversity! The summer has been so full, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Every laugh, every moment of excitement, and even every tear. We have been lucky enough to share all these things with them over the last few months!

Now we want you to share in them, too. Sunday, July 26, during our 11 o’clock hour will be our annual Youth and Children’s Summer Share. I hope you will join us as we close out our summer with this very meaningful worship service! This is a special Sunday all about our young people. This is a wonderful morning celebrating our children and youth and their involvement in this church. This service allows them to participate in worship leadership, as well as share stories from their summer. We have always called this a spiritual year in review because it’s an opportunity for you as our congregation to not only hear what the children and youth have been up to, but for them to stand in front of their church and share what has been meaningful to them in their recent faith walk. This is also a special day for our new friends joining the Children’s and Youth Ministry! Rising first and sixth graders will receive their new Bibles, and we will share in a litany of blessing for them at the end of the service.

Please come and support the young people of this church. I know they have some really great things to share with you about their experiences this summer! All children and youth parents, as well as volunteers, are encouraged to wear your favorite youth or children’s ministry T-shirt, and don’t miss this special day dedicated to our amazing students!

Grace and Peace,

Sarah Laurence

With individuals and families continuing to visit and join our church, we need to make sure we are being attentive to creating opportunities for them to connect with community and grow spiritually.  This is why we are launching two new small group opportunities in the coming couple of months, and I am excited to tell you about their initial gatherings.  These initial gatherings will be an opportunity to meet folks, to have fun, and to begin a conversation about future gathering, support, and study opportunities.

Young Families

On Saturday, July 25, at 6 pm, all young families are encouraged to gather at Good Girl for dinner and a fun time of fellowship.  Mike and Milly Ann Epps and Kelly and Gordon Eiseman will look forward to connecting with you there and beginning discussions about how to continue gathering and supporting one another moving forward.

Empty Nesters

On Friday, August 21, at 6 pm, all folks who find themselves in or approaching an empty-nester or a not-yet-retired phase of life are encouraged to gather at Good Girl for dinner and fellowship.  Christian and Dana Burton and Tim and Jodia Lintner will look forward to connecting with you there and having conversations about what a regular gathering could look like.

Of course, we continue to have plenty of other wonderful opportunities to connect with community and grow spiritually.  We have wonderful Sunday School classes each and every Sunday morning at 9:45 am.  We have a young adult small group on Thursday nights, a women’s Bible study on Wednesday mornings, and a men’s group on Friday mornings.  If you are interested in connecting with any of these new or existing groups, please contact Pastor John or the church office to get more details!

Last week, our church had the incredible opportunity to minister to over 100 children (and their families) during Vacation Bible School. It was only because of your generosity and the faithfulness of our volunteers that we were able to do this. I can confidently say that God’s love was made known in a big way, not only to the little ones, but to the adults as well. This year’s theme, “Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God,” focused on five main truths about God: God is our Creator, God sees and knows us, God is our safe place, God is love, and God is forever. I am proud of the way that our volunteers not only taught these truths last week, but more importantly, embodied them to those in their care.

I am proud of and humbled by the individuals who helped to make V.B.S. a success this year. We genuinely wouldn’t have been able to do it without each and every one of the following people:

Stage Construction and Design: Marie Berry, Megan Dozier, Jim McCullough, and Vicky McCullough

Crew Leaders: Emily Berry, Dana Burton, Randy Duckett, Nancy Holmes, Patrick LeGrand, Brannon McComb, Lindsey McCullough, Mary McQuinn, Melanie Pniewski, Kami Rice, Nicole Rodrigues, Lynn Sampson, Gigi Talbert, Haley Waltz, and Karen Wilson

Station Leaders and Support Staff: Francine Alsbrooks, Christa Berry, Cathey Braziel, Tom Braziel, Christian Burton, Zach Derr, Christine Hoffman, Nick Huffman, Sarah Laurence, Marshall Looper, Betty McNorrill, Bob McQuinn, Susan Myers, Marcy Reid, Tom Reid, and Marilyn Winn

AFBC Youth: Violet Bohman, William Fishpaw, Hayden McAlister, Caden Pniewski, Ali Rice, Kingsley Rice, and Maggie Tice

And all those who showed support in other ways (decorating, cleaning up, praying, encouraging, advising, and/or donating snacks, supplies, and monetary gifts)

Please continue to be in prayer for the lasting impacts (seen and unseen) that V.B.S. will have on the lives of those in our care last week. Whether we ever see them again or they are prompted to continue engaging with our church further, may we continue to be examples of God’s deep love for them. Just as we encouraged those last week to look out for “God sightings,” may we be a people whose hearts and eyes are always attentive to seeing God in both the ordinary as well as the not-so-ordinary. May we also never grow tired of giving thanks and praise to God for the many ways we have been blessed!

If you didn’t get a chance to serve during V.B.S. this year, I have great news for you! We will need your help next year! We actually had to cap registration early in order not to exceed what our current number of volunteers could handle. So, I would love to get you plugged in next year! Don’t be afraid to reach out to me or others who have served in order to get an accurate idea of what it’s like. Again, thank you all for your continued investment in the children’s ministry here at AFBC! It is vital for the continued vitality of our church!

In truth and love,

Matt Waller

In the fall of 2024, we embarked on a spiritual journey of discerning God’s call upon us as a congregation.  The resulting big-picture clarity of being called to be a church that radically pursues loving like Jesus has served as the core impetus for what we have been and continue to strive to do in the world.  If you need a refresher on that whole journey, you can check out more here:  https://fbcaiken.org/about/bold-faithfulness/. 

We did not just leave things at one big-picture statement, however.  We dug down and tried to discern who God was calling us to be in a variety of specific places in our church life.  There were many things that we named in that process, but one that has been on my mind these past couple of weeks has been the following statement: 

In telling the story of who we are as a different kind of Baptist church, we will not be consumed with naming who we are not, but will become better at claiming who we are as a church that affirms women in ministry, that honors diverse theological and political perspectives, that sees questions as beneficial to growing in faith, and that affirms the human dignity and image of God within all people. 

I am certain this statement has been on my mind because a certain denominational entity that we are no longer a part of has once again been litigating the place of women in ministry.  However, in line with our sense of call, I’m not going to waste a bunch of energy there.  Rather, I want to take a moment to celebrate some of our history of affirming women in ministry and in all areas of church leadership. 

Our church has called women to serve in key roles since 1960, when Sara Posey began twenty years of service in professional support for Christian Education.  She was followed ably by Vicky McCullough and Ellen Looper as consecutive Directors of Children’s Programs.  Women were hired as Ministers (or Pastors) beginning in 2000 when Rev. Sheree Jones was hired as Associate Minister (2000-2006), and then Rev. Mary Carol Anderson (Associate Minister for Student Programs 2008-15), Rev. Amy Sterz (Associate Minister in Christian Education, 2008-15), Rev. Megan Doud (Minister of Students and Missions, 2016-21), and Rev. Sarah Laurence (Minister of Youth and Pastoral Care, 2021-Present).   

Since 1995, our church has affirmed the right of women to serve as Deacons, with a change in the By Laws to that effect in September, and the election of Jane Talbert as the first woman in December of that year.  A number of women have ably served in that role in the ensuing years and have long served on all committees and as committee chairs.  Our church also joyfully ordains women who are called to and equipped for ministry, most recently ordaining Rev. Holly Strother to gospel ministry.  Additionally, we have offered Bible studies on the topic of women’s leadership along the way to remind ourselves that this is not simply a social issue but is a calling we can trace in scripture together. 

As I said in a sermon recently, “we do not prize men over women or women over men, all are equal in God’s kingdom and called to live out the gifts that God has given them, whatever those gifts may be.”  I am grateful to be the pastor of a church that not only believes this but seeks to live it out as we do our best to love like Jesus! 

We are so very excited about all of the progress being made in our More Than Sunday renovations and repairs!  There is much going on at the church!  With Preschool ending their school year last Friday, we are now entering the next phase of our project, in which the office area will be incorporated into the preschool area to consolidate all Preschool classrooms into one area.  That work has already begun!  Unfortunately, the initial phase of renovation, creating office spaces on the second floor of the Education Building and refreshing our children’s spaces, has not yet been completed.  All of this means that there are a number of things being juggled around our campus right now, and I want to make sure you are up to date on those items.

Staff Office Temporary Relocation:

The church office has been temporarily relocated to the first floor of the Trinity Building.  The easiest ways to access the office will be by parking on Chesterfield Street and using the main blue doors that enter the Family Life Center.  Alternatively, you may park in the circle at the front of the sanctuary off of York Street, walk past the columbarium and prayer garden and gain entry to the Trinity Building under the covered walkway.  If you ever have trouble finding where the office is while on campus, simply call (803) 648-5476 and someone will assist you in finding your way or come find you.

The initial phase of construction should be finished by June 8, allowing staff to begin moving into their new offices on the second floor that week. Once this transition has taken place, you will be able to gain entry by using an intercom system at the door between the sanctuary and parlor area of the church.  Eventually, after the elevator is constructed, there will be a secondary entry off of Chesterfield immediately next to the elevator.  However, as the elevator will not be completed until September, all staff members are prepared to meet anyone who cannot climb the stairs on the first floor.  Simply let us know of that need via the intercom system that will be in place at that time.

Sunday Morning Location Changes beginning Sunday, May 31:

Given that the Preschool hallway is closed for the summer, a few of our Sunday morning children’s activities will need to be relocated.  Preschool Sunday School and Children’s Church will take place in the church parlor.  Nursery during both Sunday School and Worship will be provided in the Bridal Room next to the church parlor.  All other Sunday School classes for children will continue to take place on the second floor of the Trinity Building until the newly renovated children’s area is ready for programming to start.

A couple of our adult Sunday School classes will also being shifting around.  The Faith Explorers Class, which previously met in the church parlor, will now meet on the first floor of the Trinity Building in the room that has served as our conference room.  This will be the new home for this class for the foreseeable future.  The Lost and Found Class, which had previously met in the conference room, will meet on the Second Floor of the Trinity Building in the “Girls on Mission” room on May 31 and June 7.  Beginning June 14, this class will meet in the new conference room on the second floor of the Education Building (the old Handbell Room next to the Choir Room).

Getting Around the Campus During Disruption:

Members of our safety team and facilities team will also be seeking to secure a couple of parking spots along Chesterfield Street on Sunday morning that can be utilized to drop-off individuals who may have difficulty walking from the church parking lot to the Trinity Building.  Further, we have had a couple of church members offer their golf carts to the church, so you will begin seeing those around campus on Sunday mornings in the near future to help individuals who may need a lift from one place to another.  Both of these forms of assistance will become even more vital when we begin worshipping in the Fellowship Hall in August due to renovations on the sanctuary.

Also, please be advised that the Preschool and former office spaces will not be accessible for the next couple of months due to renovations in those areas.  You will, however, still be able to utilize the hallway outside of the parlor to traverse across that building and head toward the Trinity Building.  The restrooms across from the parlor also continue to be available for use.

Donation and Mail Center Location:

The donation cabinets that you are accustomed to using for ACTS food items and other missional donations have been relocated from outside of the offices to the hallway off of the sanctuary that leads to the bridal room, which is adjacent to the parlor.  Also, the mail center, which is used for communicating with various committees and teams, has been relocated to this same area.  Finally, the drop box, used to securely submit envelopes or checks to Gail outside of regular office hours has been attached to the mail center.

Thank You!

We have all known that this year was going to bring many changes and times of transition.  That is not always easy as we have to shift routines and find new pathways.  Thank you, however, for the gracious ways in which you are navigating all of these transitions holding in view the More Than Sunday vision we are working toward.

Grace and Peace,
John

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”

We are rapidly approaching that time that George Gershwin was talking about in those lyrics! Along with longer days, warmer temps, and cool drinks, we are also entering a season of Summer Choir! As you can see in the schedule below, our meetings in the summer are a little more spaced apart, to allow for more flexibility for those singing. Trips can be more easily planned, and the pressure is low. This is such a wonderful group of humans, and we’d be honored to welcome you in for the season, or longer. I hope any and all will feel invited and welcome!

If you’ve ever thought about singing with us but worried you didn’t have the time or the right experience, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try. You don’t need to be able to sight read complicated sheet music, and there are no auditions to join. Just show up, grab a folder, and add your voice to the mix. We will learn the music together, and I can guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun doing it. Rehearsals during the summer start at 7:00 pm. Check out the schedule below, and come fellowship, worship, and lead with us! Reach out to me at zderr@fbcaiken.org with any questions!

Soli Deo gloria,

Zach Derr

It seems as though spring is finally here! With that, the baseball season is in full swing (pun intended). Growing up in Baltimore, I was a fan of the Orioles, and we hated the New York Yankees. However, I was more occupied with Johns Hopkins, because Maryland, at the time, was the lacrosse capital of the country. (I was not a crab guy, because I do not like to work for my food, but my mother made delicious Maryland fried chicken.)  

Most professional athletes believe that hitting a baseball is the most difficult thing to do in sports. This makes baseball a unique team sport. Each individual batter steps into the batter’s box for a battle with the opposing pitcher. The strike zone runs from the armpit to the knee but is only 17 inches wide. In professional baseball the team’s pitching coach has a “book” on each batter. Most coaches know exactly where each batter’s weaknesses are. From the batter’s perspective, the ideal pitch would be right down the middle of the plate, the sweet spot. The pitcher’s objective is not to throw the ball in that sweet spot. They do throw the ball up to 100 miles per hour, thinking the batter cannot hit it.  

I have learned over the years that playing baseball is like the discipline of following Jesus. Let me explain. Baseball players develop through a system of levels, from Low A to AAA. AAA means you are one phone call away from “the Show,” professional baseball. At every level, minor league players will say they have so much to learn. When they reach the “pros,” they will tell you they have so much to learn.  

When it comes to our Christian lives, Jesus is a Rabbi, and we are students– with much to learn. My question is, why does God throw so many pitches that I can’t hit? It’s as if He’s deliberately trying to strike me out. Why all the curve balls? Perhaps he needs us to learn more. He does know our weaknesses, so maybe He’s trying to strengthen us. I have been following Jesus for sixty-six years and have learned that those curve balls, sliders, screwballs, and knuckle balls are trying to tell me something, usually something I need to face about myself. He wants me not to do better, but to be better. He wants me to be a real follower of His Son, looking more like Him every day. 

Here’s the real kicker: the opposing pitcher is on my team. The game has already been won, so “batter up”! 

In peace and love, 

Ray Barrow

Is it just me, or do certain times in your life prompt you to think about ways you wish you had been better? We have a funny way as humans of putting things on the back burner and not thinking about them again until they start bubbling over. Over the past year(s), the Spirit has convinced me that I do this with selfcare. I realize that while I have a passion for understanding what makes others tick and figuring out how to help them, I neglect doing the same for myself. I think we have an idea that this is admirable in some way, but it lessens our impact. At first, I thought the remedy to this might be to take control of the situation by making more time for myself. I was right, but not in the way I originally thought. You see, I acted as though making more time for myself meant minimizing time with others. In a way, I thought that if I could just get enough alone time to “fix” myself, then I could get back in the game and be better. Spoiler alert: it rarely works that way.

Why do I share this with you? Well, to put it simply, God is showing me that we figure out how to be the best version of ourselves with people, and that means we need each other. It’s easy to think things like, “They won’t like me,” “They don’t need me,” or even, “I don’t have anything to offer,” but being better requires vulnerability. Whereas my original solution to make time for myself by being alone didn’t work, it has started to work by intentionally seeking others, sometimes in big ways, but most of the time, in small ones. Whether it’s a spontaneous round of disc golf with the young adult group, an unplanned trip out to eat, or intentional conversation with the Vanguard men’s group, my life has been made better by plugging in rather than trying to be as unplugged as possible.

As our Wednesday night programs wind down and we head towards summer, it can be easy to unplug, to put community on the backburner for a while in the interest of “selfcare.” While that 100% can (and probably even should) look like rest, vacations, and solitude, I hope you’ll also look for opportunities to call on and include others around you, both in this community of faith and outside of it. Here at AFBC, we have continued to be intentional about leaning into more opportunities for community and relationship-building, especially in an intergenerational way. I hope you’ll continue to join us in that work by plugging into events on a large scale, but also by creating meaningful opportunities on a personal scale. Only you know how you can do the second, but let me tell you of some ways you can be involved in the first. We will be having a Churchwide Picnic on May 13th at the Gem Lakes Pavillion from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.! We will provide the hotdogs & drinks, and we invite you to bring any kind of fixing, side, or dessert. Please dress comfortably and bring whatever kind of outdoor game or activity you like. Bathrooms are close by as well as a playground, pickleball/basketball courts, etc.

We hope you’ll join us for this fun event for all ages! If you’d like to grill hotdogs or assist in any specific way, let me know. Even if you can’t attend this event, there are many other opportunities I’d love to tell you about whether it’s volunteering for VBS, praying with those going to our annual summer camps, or tutoring at Brothers and Sisters! One thing I know and am thankful for is that you make us better, and we need you!

In truth and love,

Matt Waller