Happy New Year!!! I’m excited about this upcoming year and what the Lord has in store for us. We’re a church focused on Jesus and loving each other. We’ve got a solid foundation to build a strong presence and ministry in this community. We do what we do because of who we are. We are the light of the world. As we experience gospel love, we are compelled to demonstrate that love and share the good news of Jesus with our community and beyond.

Starting in January, our church will be hosting the “Good News Club” at Saint James Intermediate School. This is an afterschool program in which twelve of our members will teach the gospel and encourage the 5th and 6th graders who participate. This is an exciting opportunity to shine in the schools and to serve the community.

Also, the Personnel Committee is actively sorting through resumes for our next Youth Pastor. Be in prayer as they seek wisdom to present the right candidate before the church.

Each church member has been encouraged to personally invite twenty people to our church this upcoming year. That averages out to be less than two a month. To help you with this challenge, we have “invite” business cards available in the office. Feel free to take as many as you want. Help get the word out and be amazed at what the Lord is going to do! As we live out our mission and boldly go where the Lord has commanded us, let us hold fast to the command in Joshua chapter 1, “Be strong and courageous!”

Pastor Charlie

January 2020 Monthly Publication of Garden City Baptist Church Volume 33 Number

Awarded “Most Creative” in the Murrells Inlet Christmas Parade

Approximately forty people showed up to represent the church at the annual Christmas Parade in Murrells Inlet on 12/8/19. Who knew we would actually win the recognition of “Most Creative” in the parade? We had a great time riding, dancing, waving, and walking. We handed out over 1,000 bags of candy that was left over from the Fall Festival donations, along with invite cards to join us for worship. Thanks to all for a job well done!!!

pictured right: Mason Riker, Kaleb Funck, Jase Riker

pictured above: Landon Broz and Julianna Lanier above: Pastor Charlie

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS 1 – Bette King 5 – Lois Almond 10 – Rose Price 11 – Howard Thompson, Jr. 14 – David Kearns 14 – Jerri Howie 14 – Anne Langlo 15 – Josh Huggins 15 – Jakob Devlin 18 – Charlene Ware 19 – Carolyn Gates 20 – Aubrey Johnson 21 – Donna Hill 21 – Gary Hawes 22 – Cathy Menke 23 – Pauline Denton 24 – Debbie Bolynn 26 – Kelly Wakley 29 – Dawn Melvin 29 – Tanya Yow 29 – Betty Robertson

CHURCHWIDE BREAKFAST January 5 The first Sunday of each month, our deacons cook and serve a great breakfast. They start serving at 8:15 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Come and enjoy the food and fellowship, then at 9:30-9:45 a.m. you’re ready for Sunday School. If you don’t have a class we can find you one. All donations go to the Deacon Relief Fund to help members who have a need.

WOMAN’S MISSIONARY UNION (WMU) Thursday, January 2 at Noon at Jewel Weaver’s home. Chili, cheese and sour cream are being provided. Bring cornbread, crackers or a dessert to share. Please let Pat Hample know what you plan to bring (843-748-0163 or 704-460-4056). Joan Brewer is presenting a program on the new president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. His focus is missions and education.

SOUTH STRAND HELPING HAND (SSHH) We have done it again—had another great Christmas. This year we were able to help parents/guardians of 497 children get ready for Christmas morning. Members of seven local churches provided gifts and clothing. We had enough toys donated by individuals and companies to make 70 bags for children who hadn’t signed up. Also, we shared items we didn’t use with two other charities: Hopewell in Williamsburg County and one in North Myrtle Beach. It was a good year!

Unfortunately, at least for a few months, things are changing at SSHH. In 1986 seven local churches went together to form SSHH in order to organizing giving. They had noticed that people would go to every church and ask for help. It has worked for years, but now several churches have started their own food banks and at least one church is helping with utility bills. This lessens church support, United Way support is down since they didn’t make their goal this year, and due to tax changes by the IRS individual donations are down.

So starting in January we will only provide food until we can get our financial support back up. I think it is sad but everything changes. We will have to figure out how to change with it.

JOY FELLOWSHIP Monday, January 13 at 12:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Bring a covered dish and $2.00 for the fried chicken. Program: Game Day

Come and enjoy the fellowship and have fun playing your favorite game with friends. If you are 55 & over come out & give us a try! We love new members!!!

Varina’s ♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

Happy New Year! We are looking forward to a year filled with worship and praise for our Lord! We have exciting things planned for 2020: our guest artist series which we are calling Sunday Melodies, Music Ministry Banquet in May, Music Camp in June, expanding Chancel Choir, Christmas Theater, and most importantly, coming each week to worship together. Please pray that everything we do will be for God’s glory!

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World, a study by Max Lucado starts Thursday, January 16 at 7:45 a.m.

MOBILE MEALS OF THE SOUTH STRAND Van 2

January 20-24 See Esther Holland or Phyllis Melton to volunteer

or for information on the program

From the Media Messenger...

The Crippled Lamb is created by master storyteller Max Lucado with the help of his three daughters. It is a children’s story about Joshua, a crippled lamb who can’t run and play like the others. Because Joshua is different, he is often left out, lonely, and left behind. God has a special plan for him just as He does for all of us. Readers will feel a tug at their hearts as God answers Joshua’s prayers when he is left behind one starry night in a Bethlehem stable.

There are times in our lives when we feel different and lonely. All of our dreams don’t come true. This touching story helps children and adults see that God has a unique plan for every life. The Crippled Lamb carries a special message of hope for everyone.

Max Lucado is a best-selling Christian author and pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. He preaches and writes to the hurting, the guilty, the lonely, and the discouraged

OLD TESTAMENT CHRONOLOGICAL STUDY Sundays at 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Will resume Sunday, January 5.

LADIES LUNCHEON Claw House

in Murrells Inlet. To carpool we leave the

church at 11:40 a.m.

Sign-up sheets are in the front foyer and side

hall.

Come and make new friends.

In Feb we will be going to Carolina Ale House

at 2915 Hollywood Drive, Myrtle Beach. Remember, if you

signup and can’t go, please let Shirley know

in advance.

BFF (formerly Heart to Heart)

Where ladies match up with a new friend for a

season

Kick-off Luncheon January 30

Watch the bulletin for more details

New Friends were made and a great time was had by all at our Christmas 2019 Ladies Luncheon. Join us in January for our next outing!

GOSPEL BODY Time for those resolutions we always make to change some things about our bodies and lives. Well if you’re looking for an exercise program, why pay membership to a gym, come and join the Gospel Body team on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00am in the Fellowship Hall of our church. What better place could you exercise than with ladies who you have something in common. We may not always get started on time, but we fellowship, have prayer, and then start walking to a DVD with music. I’ve been trying to get healthy for years and this is the only thing that motivates me to get up early and walk with a group of friends. So if you’re thinking about starting a workout program come and join us and give it a try. You might like! No Fees, No Sign up cost either.

Sisters In Christ, Yvonne Marcum, 843-283-6781

“GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT” Brrr! It’s January, Ladies, and that means the weather is getting colder. Come warm up at the Women’s Ministry Girls’ Night Out “Soup”-er Supper and Game Night. It will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Please sign up on the poster in the hallway between the office and the sanctuary to bring a soup, bread, or dessert. Also, bring a wrapped [gently used but no longer wanted] item to be used as a prize for our games. If you need a ride to this event, please call Roberta Collins at 843-712-1257.

MONTHLY WIDOW’S LUNCH is Sunday, January 12 after the morning worship service at Outback Steakhouse. Meet down front in the Sanctuary to carpool. Call Pat Hample for information at 843-748-0163 or 704-460-4056.

GOOD NEWS CLUB Volunteers are needed to meet with a group of children at St. James Intermediate School for two hours a week for 12 weeks on a Thursday from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. The first meeting is January 23.

The purpose of the Good News Club is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. Each week the program is an exciting Bible lesson using colorful materials from Child Evangelism Fellowship. This action-packed time also includes songs, Scripture memory, a missions story and review games or other activities focused on the lesson’s theme. Be a part of the Good News Club--to volunteer see Tish Walker or call her

at 843-742-8508.

January MISSION FOCUS

Papua New Guinea – Jason and Laken Cizdziel As mentioned last month they are expecting their 3rd child in the spring of 2020. They will be coming home to the states to have their child here and then return to PNG, after the baby is born. They will be here in May 2020 and plans are to have them speak at our church while they are here so you can all hear of their ministry.

Japan – Ethan and Michele Fisher Our TEAM KID program got involved again with the Fishers and their ministry in Japan learning of their culture and customs there. Barry and Sue Gelman showed them a slide show showing them the schools their grandchildren attend, the playground area where they play, how they dress in uniforms, the different types of food they eat, and many other things. Once again our children were very interested and we will continue to keep this activity going.

Baltimore – Pastor Wayne and Pascha There continues to be no grass growing under the feet of this ministry. Every time you blink they are doing something exciting and serving our Lord in some awesome way. What a wonderful uplifting ministry. The CLC mission team is headed to Florida to serve alongside First Baptist Church of Longwood.

Asia – Bill and Gloria Welcome home friends! So great to have them back with us. I spoke with them several times since they have returned, and we have an opportunity for our TEAM KID children’s program to now hear from Bill and Gloria regarding their mission in Japan. What a wonderful experience our children have hearing from our worldwide missionaries.

VISITATION January 2020 is rapidly approaching and our committees and meetings and all business issues will be starting the new year. Our visitation team will also be starting back up and we need some new volunteers both men and woman to help us with this ministry. It can be as simple as a note, a phone call or a 15 minute one on one, face to face visit with someone. You go in pairs so you are never alone, and the person who you are visiting already will know you are coming and expecting you. The shut-ins especially love this contact with us. Please consider joining our visitation team by contacting either Tish Walker 843-742-8515 or Sandy Klinke 843-318-1542. We will give you all the material and tools you need to be a team member of this awesome ministry. Thank you to all on the visitation team for a job well done this past year!

THE YEAR IN REVIEW FROM THE APPALACHIAN MISSION FIELD – Eric & Sissy Rutherford It’s been another amazing year in the mountains. Here are just some of the highlights from 2019…

TEACHING: The Lamp House Coffee shop remains the location for our weekly Bible Study. I (Eric) fill in as needed there and enjoyed doing so at Lydia’s House, the local addiction recovery center; and Eolia Baptist Church. TESTIMONY: We shared testimony with several groups including kids’ at a basketball camp; our Celebrate Recovery program; with men from Baptist Bikers; with two busloads of school kids at a pancake breakfast; and countless mission team members at Solomon’s Porch (our retreat center) and Shekinah Village (our youth camp). Of course, we also share with anyone who’ll listen at both the coffee shop and Black Mountain Exchange. PREACHING: I preached prayer and pulpit supply services at Community Christian Center (C3), Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist, Eolia Baptist, and for the first time, at our home church, Garden City Baptist in South Carolina! SERVING: We participated in many of our ministry’s sponsored events, including the annual 4th of July parade and fireworks; a Gingerbread House Contest, which raised money for the city, Christmas at the Farm; and, we led a Bike Blessing in Jenkins, Ky. with fellow Christian Motorcyclists Association friends. This year our parent ministry, Meridzo Center, Inc. also celebrated 20 years of serving here with a banquet and picnic. TRAINING: I completed training for Basic Search and Rescue and Narcan administration (overdose treatment) through the county Rescue Squad, with whom I serve as a volunteer and station Chaplain. I also attended sessions for QuickBooks (which Sissy already knows) and Celebrate Recovery Leadership training. (Our roles have continued to expand.) We also got to provide barista and business-ministry training for a Native American family who operate a Christian coffee shop on a reservation in South Dakota and met with another group opening a shop in Tennessee. JOBS: We finished the season with five part-time employees at the coffee shop (more worked throughout the year) and one full-time person at the convenience store, bringing the number of jobs God has allowed us to provide to more than forty since we moved here in 2014. FELLOWSHIP: Teams and friends from Garden City and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; from North Carolina; and CMA members from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia came to visit and to serve with us. Our grandsons made their annual summer trip, and our son Nathan made his first visit with our mutual friend ‘Squares’. (Our son Travis and daughter Melissa and her husband have all been here previously.) BLESSINGS: The Exchange had a donor provide new(er) gas pumps and we established a partnership with Hunt Brothers Pizza (both major upgrades). The coffee shop porch was enclosed providing a dry storage room (dubbed “Sissy’s She-Shed” by the team who constructed it). We launched the new Looney Creek Escape Room business; and God gave us resources to remodel our only bathroom at home and Eric a desperately needed truck. (He’s also providing for Sissy after her transmission died). God also sent more staff members to join the Meridzo and C3 families (but keep praying for more). Finally, God saw us through early detection and treatment of Eric’s cancer. On December 4th., my 3-month follow-up showed no signs of any cancer.

None of the above would be possible without the ongoing love, prayers, encouragement, and support we receive. Merry Christmas to you all. In His Love & Service, Eric & Sissy

Kentucky - Eric and Sissy Rutherford

They were here visiting family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday and were at our church for services and fellowship on December 1st. As always so great to have them here with us. Before they went back home to Lynch, we provided them with four big boxes of devotionals, bibles, toiletries, and other things that are always needed in Lydia’s Rehab House there. We are always in need of these items as there are new ladies coming into Lydia’s house all the time, and they love receiving the items that we as a church can provide for them, so keep those items coming, they are greatly received and appreciated. A team will be going there in March to finish painting the 3rd floor at Solomon’s Porch and we would love to take some things with us for Lydia’s house.