2023 In Review
Baptism
This year we baptized 25 people! We saw baptism candidates range in all ages and backgrounds. A number of kids responded after VBS, and our biggest group were middle school and high school students. A whole family who previously did not attend church were baptized together, and someone who grew up practicing a different religion participated in believer’s baptism for the first time. It was an amazing year to watch God at work in our faith family!
Membership
This year we added 35 new members. Some were youth joining through baptism, some were families who have been reached through our family ministries, and some were retirees relocating to the Lowcountry. We’re thankful for so many new covenant members who want to be “Grounded, Growing, and Giving” at First Baptist.
Anaheim Mission Trip
Over Spring Break we took a team of 19 to West Anaheim, California to serve with a NAMB church plant. Our team hosted community outreach events, served with a homeless ministry, and participated in a college ministry. Pastor Colby and Pastor Charlie both had multiple opportunities to preach and lead worship.
Panama City Mission Trip
We took a team of 9 to serve for a week in Panama City, Panama with IMB
partners. Our team was a collective of high school students, college students, young adults, and parents. Our team served in two different cities: Panama City (on the Pacific side) and Colon (on the Caribbean side). We had 70 gospel conversations and saw 5 people make decisions for Christ.
Halloween Festival:
We continue to raise our numbers each year at the Moncks Corner Halloween Festival. This year our church gave out 1500 hot dogs, chips, and waters as well as promotional fliers.
Operation Christmas Child:
Our church family packed 580 boxes. Awana and First Students helped participate through two packing parties. Our team collected 2089 boxes for our region and sent them on their way. We’re praying God uses these boxes as seeds for gospel conversations, discipleship, and church planting around the world.
WMU Collections:
Our faithful WMU group packed 65 backpacks to be distributed to children in the Appalachian area. Also at Christmas, they assembled 55 prisoner packets to be distributed to inmates in the South Carolina system.
Impact Team:
The men on the Impact Team built 2 wheelchair ramps for our Senior adults. They are always looking for more volunteers and opportunities to serve.
Fuge Mission Trip
We took 22 students to Ridgecrest for a week of camp and outreach inthe Asheville area. Our team served with kids at apartment complexes, senior adults at veteran homes, and homeless adults at a rehab facility. We were able to have a number of gospel conversations at these ministries.
Sunday School Classes:
Throughout the year our Sunday School classes are active in taking special offerings and assisting those in need within our church family. This Christmas 8 families were adopted locally and provided with gifts thanks to our classes.
VBS: During the first week of June our church hosted hundreds of children for Vacation Bible School. At the end of the week we saw of number of kids respond in faith and baptism. We also hosted a VBS training event,sponsored by the South Carolina Baptist Convention, at our facility for the entire Lowcountry.
KidSalt:
We took 15 children to Charleston South University for a week of KidSalt this summer. For their missions night the campers packed bags and notes for college freshman through a partnership with Baptist Collegiate Ministries. They also got to pick fun classes and learn how to cook, cheer,play basketball, go swimming, and more.
Missions Offerings:
10% of our budget automatically goes to supporting mission efforts all around the world. But our church family goes above and beyond each year by giving directly to the Janie Chapman Offering, Annie Armstrong Offering, and Lottie Moon Offering. Through these our church gave thousands of additional funds to support church planting in South Carolina, North America, and unreached people groups across the globe.
10th Anniversary:
In a final note of celebration, we had a 10th Anniversary celebration for Dr. Wallace on September 10th. Our worship band and choir hosted a joint service with a guest speaker and our hospitality team organized a luncheon in the gym afterwards. We are grateful for 10 years of service from the Wallace family.