Appalachian Backpack Ministry
The Appalachian Christmas Backpack Ministry seeks to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those living in the Appalachian Area and in upstate South Carolina. Since 2001, originally called Appalachian Regional Ministries, a ministry of the North American Mission Board, has collected and distributed these Christmas backpacks filled with toys, warm clothing, food, hygiene items and a Bible. The backpacks received will be distributed to needy children and teenagers during events at which the Gospel will be shared. This year Christmas Backpacks from South Carolina will be delivered to five schools in and around Jenkins, Kentucky, in partnership with Lester and Bessie McPeek. They will also be distributed in southwest Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, and even on a Native American reservation in South Dakota. We will also supply backpacks to communities in Upstate SC that are considered part of the Appalachian Region.
Mission Haiti
Mission Haiti supports the children’s home that houses 42 children. The kids are provided an education from 4yrs old through 12th grade. There are no public schools, only private. Mission Haiti pays for their school fees and uniforms. We help provide the funds for food, fuel and medical needs. We help support Sister Phyllis Newby as she supports over 240 Pastors/churches all over Haiti. We normally send mission teams down a couple of times a year, but have not been able to do so in recent years due to Covid and gang violence. Our RAs have a sponsorship they give each month, as do many individuals and families. Our church, along with others, helped pack and ship 4 pallets of boxes full of food and essential items in December 2023, and plan to start collecting more food to send this fall. Sister Phyllis, or Mama Miss, watches our services as she is able, and prays for us as we pray for her. We covet your prayer support, and partnership in food collections later this year.
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - International Missions
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering - North American Missions
The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) is the primary way Southern Baptists fund missions in North America. One hundred percent of gifts given to AAEO go to the field to support more than 2,900 missionary families serving across the United States and Canada. Annie Armstrong was a missions hero in Southern Baptist history. She spent her life educating churches about missions, and raising support for the missionaries on the field. Through her writing skills, she raised support for missionaries and funding for WMU and provided missions education materials. “In a ten-year summary of her work, Annie Armstrong reported having written 77,447 letters and manuscripts. . . . On average she mailed more than 8,000 letters a year and roughly 674 letters per month.” This was in the late 1800’s, before typewriters, copiers, or email.
Janie Chapman Offering - State Missions
The Janie Chapman offering for State Missions in September continues to be the driving force for missions happening throughout our state. Each year the offering helps SC Baptists reach their lost neighbors, plant churches, send missionaries, serve communities in crisis, develop healthier churches, and much more. A recent statistic showed 80% of South Carolina residents are not connected to a Christ centered church. That means 4 out of 5 are not hearing the gospel.
Operation Christmas Child
Connie Maxwell Children's Home
Each year, the North Spartan Association collects items for a “pounding" for Connie Maxwell children’s ministries. Each church collects a selected item, and brings these to the annual meeting in October. Founded in 1892, as a ministry of the South Carolina baptist convention, Connie Maxwell has provided hope for South Carolina’s children and families in need. They do this through forge care, residential care, family care, and crisis care .
Carolina Pregnancy Center
CPC is a faith-based, nonprofit organization founded in 1987, serving women/ children and families of Spartanburg with free and confidential services. CPC is funded entirely through private donations of individuals, businesses, churches, and organizations through events, direct mail, and monthly giving. They do not receive any government funding. Their mission is to help women and families with pregnancy-related issues. They truly want them to experience more life through Christ. Some ways we support this ministry are through baby bottle coin collections, Baby showers and other events collecting diapers/ wipes, and hosting a table at the annual fundraiser banquet.
Prisoner Packets
The churches in the North Spartan Baptist Association cooperate with churches across our state each fall to collect items for Prisoner Packets. In 2023, SC Baptist collected and delivered packs to 16,750 inmates filled with love and hope. The packs include the following: One black pen, one legal pad, one toothbrush and toothpaste, one bar of soap, two rolls of hard candy, two stamped envelopes, in a gallon zipper bag. Many men, women and youth have no one who cares for them. They have no visitors, nor do they receive gifts at Christmas. You provide hope and love. As a result, some have received the true Christmas gift. They have come to know Christ because you care. The Christmas Packets for Prisoners project began in 1976. It is a joint project of SCBC and SC WMU. As the project has grown, our churches continue to give faithfully and generously. Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus with those who need to know Jesus in a personal way.
Sonshine Club
We also support the Sonshine Club, formed in 2010 to shine the light of Christ into the lives of adults with special needs and their caregivers. Our youth and volunteers have served for several years at the Saturday day camps, offered at no-cost and featuring games, crafts, lunch, and devotions as well as lots of fun. We also offer our facilities to them for their annual fundraiser banquet and help with that event and have had members who have served on their board.
School Ministries of Spartanburg County
Organized in 1999 as a 501(3)c organization, offering a release time program where parents can release their students from the campus, to receive religious education during the public school day. This semester they are offering 19 classes on 5 different schools! We have members and staff who serve as board members, teachers, staff volunteers and bus drivers. We also support the ministry monthly through our church budget.
How can you be involved:
- Pray for salvations, finances and volunteers.
- Spread the word about the ministry , and encourage your children, grandchildren, and family members to attend.
- Attend and support the annual fundraising banquet.