Welcome Home To BrusHy creek JANUARY 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR! lookING AHeAD IN 2010 THere Are loTs oF eXcITING THINGs To Be INVolVeD IN! cHeck ‘em ouT!High school/college Disciple Now 1/15-17 · middle school chillipepper 1/22-1/24 · men’s retreat 1/29-1/30 · maundy Thursday service 4/1 · Preschool resurrection celebration 4/3 · International Women’s Night 4/8 · share Jesus Without Fear 5/2 · Graduation sunday 5/30 · serbia missions Trip 6/5-6/14 · creative Arts camp 6/14-6/16 · High school summer camp 6/28-7/2 · middle school seesalt 6/28-7/2 · New york city mission Trip: 7/18-7/24 · children’s Pastors’ camp 7/29-7/31 · High school camping/rafting 8/12-8/13 · middle school Pastors’ camp: 8/13-8/15 · The Greenhouse session 4 kickoff 8/22 · India mission Trip 9/19/-9/28 · missions Day 10/3 · college retreat 10/6-10/10 · Homes for Hope 10/23-10/24 · Women’s ministry Fall retreat 11/12-11/13 · High school Fall retreat 11/19-11/21 · children’s christmas celebration 12/3 ·

Women’s ministry christmas Dinner 12/9 · Adult choir christmas Program 12/19 · christmas eve service 12/24

DO YOU RemembeR hOw mUch fUn we haD DOing 40 Days of PurPose?

well...guess what? (find out more under “Note from Ralph”)

MONDAY NIGHTS AT 6:00PM

by Dr. ralph Carter, paStOr

brushycreek.org

NOTE FROM RALPH REscuE MiNisTRyby JIM rUSSell, reSCUe MINISter

a matteR Of life anD DeathThis week I preached the funeral of a very young man who had abused alcohol to the point that his organs literally shut down, one by one. On the same day, I received word of another young man who had relapsed into drugs.

These are the hard parts of the Celebrate Recovery ministry at Brushy Creek. Thankfully, there are many more stories being written that are great successes. Folks are being saved and many are gaining freedom from their hurts, habits, and hang-ups. You will be hearing some of these stories January 24 on Celebrate Recovery Day at Brushy Creek.

We can all readily recognize the need of a homeless person, or a person strung out on drugs or alcohol. But what about the “successful” highly functional middle/upper middle class lost person? They look like us. They may even act much as we do. But they are lost and headed to Hell.

Whether we realize it or not, we are living in a time when the church is, as one songwriter put it, “asleep in the light.” Lost people are all around us, yet we don’t feel their plight. A recent survey of Southern Baptist churches found that:

· Nearlyonethirdofourchurchesbaptizednooneinthelastyear.

· Anotherthirdofourchurchesbaptizedsixorlesslastyear.· 97.4ofourchurchmemberswilldiewithoutoncetellinganyoneelsehowtobesaved.

· Ifyouaskatypicalchurch,“Howmanyofyouhavesharedyourfaithwithsomeoneinthepastyear?”Youcanexpectabout5%toraisetheirhands.

This is shocking and even depressing to me. Then I think about myself. Some of my greatest joys have been in sharing the Gospel with others, one-on-one. I’ve been blessed to see a number of folks pray to receive Christ. But I also have to admit that I have times of high sensitivity to witness opportunities, and I also have times when I’m not so sensitive. I’ve asked the Lord to forgive me for, at times, being too self-absorbed.

But this I know. As my witnessing goes, so goes my joy! And I want to live and walk in that joy more and more. And I hope that you do too. We have two excellent opportunities for you to get trained to share your faith. In our next Greenhouse session, we will be offering XEE again. This is a witness approach that is especially suited for engaging generations X and Y – those under 40. Then in Greenhouse, Session 4, we will be offering Share Jesuswithout Fear, which is my favorite approach – using pointed questions and Scripture to converse with others about the Gospel.

I hope many of you will join me in one of these witness training classes. Because it is a matter of life and death for our family, friends, and others who do not know the Lord.

forty Days of Community starts

on February 7. I can hardly wait. The theme

during the entire campaign is “We’re Better

Together.” Everybody needs to be a part of a

community. Some of us have a tendency to

want to go it alone, but that is never a good

thing for a variety of reasons. You may not

need me, but I need you. I can never rescue

people as effectively as we can. I can never

help believers grow spiritually as well as we

can. Nor can I serve as well as we can serve.

We can pray more fervently, witness more

passionately, give more generously, and serve

more unselfishly, when we work together. I can

handle life’s burdens more easily with your

help. We need each other. I am so grateful for

a church that has been a wonderful spiritual

family to me for nearly 18 years. 40 Days

of Community will help all of us develop a

greater appreciation for the family of God here

at Brushy Creek. I hope you will mark your

calendars now and make it a point to attend

every service.

men’s testimOnY bReakfastJoin us for our Men’s Testimony Breakfast, January 10 at 8:00am in the Front Room of the ARC. We look forward to seeing you there!

mOnthlY meetingtuEsDay, January 19 at 10:30am

sR. AduLTs

hellO eveRYOne!We have a wonderful year planned for 2010. I just want to remind you to look over the new church calendar, which is available in the Sanctuary Foyer, and plan to be a part of the activities and ministry opportunities this year. Our intentions with the calendar are to inform you as quickly as possible about what is happening so you will have oppor-tunity to participate. I hope this is beneficial to you and your family.

heYcOllege kiDs!

I hope that you have had a great break from school!

We have sure enjoyed having a little extra time to spend

with you this Christmas! I know that most of you are

gearing up for a return to school, but I hope that you

will make sure to sign up for DNow 2010 (Confessions

of a Superchristian) before you leave. DNow is going to

be January 15-17 and the cost is $25. We are going to

have a blast. I even went out and bought a new coat

just for the event (think snowballs and sleds…hint,

hint). I know that you all live busy lives, but I hope that

you will carve time out for this “Super” event! It can be

life changing if you let it be!

On the Road (or in the air),

by rObbIe SOX, MUSIC

RObbiE’s REPORT

thank YOU!Thank you so much for the wonderful job on our Christmas Musical “Once Upon a Holy Night.” Special thanks to Kate Drake and Cee Cee Cameron for leading the children’s choir, and to Roger Cole, Steve Jones, Randy Underwood, and Marshall Croy for running sound, media, and lights. You all are a very important part of the music ministry here at Brushy Creek. Thank you so much for giving so much of your time each week.

We are planning a choir retreat coming up in the next few months to introduce you to new music. Be on the lookout for dates and times.

Just a quick reminder that Orchestra practice will return to Monday nights at 7:30 and Choir will return to Wednesday nights at 8:00 in January.

dAvid’s NEws ON THE ROAdby DavID kay, aSSOCIate paStOr by aNgela Carter, MISSIONS aND COllege DIreCtOr

by JereMIah OlIver, MIDDle SChOOl paStOr

PRaise the lORD fOR a new YeaR! At the start of each New Year I am reminded of God’s grace and mercy that He bestows in each of our lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “For whosoever is in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.” 2009 is now gone, and God has blessed us with a new year to live more faithfully for Him! I am praying that this will be the year that God brings revival to the hearts of our youth. We have many exciting opportunities for our youth to get involved this year. Please pray that each student will be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit as they are involved in our youth worship services, winter conferences, youth rallies, discipleship weekend, service projects, and summer camps. Each of these activities serves a purpose in fulfilling our mission as a youth ministry. This mission is to see students saved (RESCUE), discipled (GROW), and serving God and others (SERVE)!

Make sure you mark your calendars for DiscipleNow!, 8th Grade Leadership Retreat, SeeSalt Summer Conference, and Pastors’ Camp. Please make sure that you check the website, future newsletters, and your e-mails for details on all of these activities. Great things are happening in the BCBC youth ministry, so make sure that your student doesn’t miss out. I urge you to stay involved in Greenhouse, Sunday school, and Worship! Be ready for the Lord to work mightily in each of our lives in 2010! Thanks for another year to serve and minister to your kids!

DiscipleNow! April 16-18 · 8th GrADe leADership retreAt May 14-16 seesAlt suMMer coNfereNce June 28-July 2 · pAstor’s cAMp August 13-15

by taMMy rOaCh, JUNCtION 501 DIreCtOr

by rebeCCa OakS

DIreCtOr Of ChIlDreN’S MINIStrIeS

The children’S Christmas Celebration

was a wonderful time of fellowship with friends from Brushy Creek. the kids deCorated gingerBread

houses, made Christmas Cards for shut-ins, watChed a Veggietales moVie, Created gingerBread men with Verses on

them, sang Carols and partiCipated in the Christmas story. it was a great way for the kids to foCus on the true meaning

of Christmas - the Birth of our lord and saVior Jesus Christ.

thanks to all the Volunteers who made this a Very speCial night for the kids!

UPcOming events

Talent Show · Archery · Easter Egg Hunt in the Dark with Flashlights · Sports Night with Olympic Games · Amazing Science Devotions

scRiPtURe memORY veRsesSession 3 - Isaiah 43:2-3 · Session 4 - I John 4:7-8 · Session 5 - James 4:7-8

Prizes will be given to the kids who memorize the verses. We will have a great time of fellowship, fun and studying God’s word. I hope your child will join us.

MONdAys *6:00pm.........CelebrateRecovery

*7:30pm.........CreeksideOrchestraPractice

*Childcare available

wEdNEsdAys 5:00pm.........CaféattheCreek

*6:45pm.........TheGreenhouse

*8:10pm.........CreeksideChoirPractice

*Childcare available

suNdAys 8:00am.........SundaySchool

*9:15am.........SundaySchool/TraditionalWorship

*10:45am.........SundaySchool/ContemporaryWorship

*6:00pm.........EveningService

*Childcare available

DEACON’SMEETING7:00pm

10:30am

brushycreek.org

QUARTERLYBUSINESSMEETING6:00pm

CAFéATTHECREEkRESUMES5:00pm

THEGREENHOUSESESSION3BEGINS

6:45pm

MEN’SRETREAT

MEN’STESTIMONYBREAkFAST 8:00am

QUARTERLYSUNDAYSCHOOLTEACHERS’TRAINING 12:00pm

CHURCHOFFICECLOSED

15 - 16HIGHSCHOOL/COLLEGEDNOW

MIDDLE

SCHOOLERS

LEAVEFOR

CHILLIPEPPER

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3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

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31

2010

BRUSHY CREEK MONTHLY OPPORTUNITIES

SUNDay MONDay tUeSDay WeDNeSDay thUrSDay frIDay SatUrDay

January

wEdNEsdAys 5:00pm.........CaféattheCreek

*6:45pm.........TheGreenhouse

*8:10pm.........CreeksideChoirPractice

*Childcare available

DO YOU lOve JesUs?Do you remember a time when you did? Do you remember when the thought of Jesus provoked an emotional, fervent response in your heart? Do you remember how you plunged into service, thrilled to think you could do something for the Savior, who had done so much for you? But as time has passed, has your busyness become weariness? And has the fire in your heart flickered and died down, even as you have hurried to serve Him in a multitude of ways? Then it’s time to re-ignite the fire!

Join us for Just Give me Jesus, a revival designed to fan into flame your love for Him. In this life-changing, two-day revival, you will be stirred in worship by Fernando Ortega, you will be inspired in prayer with Jill Briscoe, and you will hear God speaking to you personally and relevantly as I proclaim His Word and lead you in an inductive study of the Scriptures.

My prayer is that each of us would receive a fresh touch from heaven…a fresh encounter with the living Lord Jesus Christ, rekindling the fire of love for Him in our hearts, as together we ask God to Just Give me Jesus!

by eleaNOr bIShOp, preSChOOl DIreCtOr

we aRe thankfUl fOR the fRienDshiPs we make while leaRning abOUt JesUs’ life.

cHuRcH sTAFF

4999 Old Spartanburg rOad

taylOrS, SOuth CarOlina 29687864.244.5075

return ServiCe requeSted

Ralph F. Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PASTOR877.5687 ralphc@brushycreek.org

Robbie Sox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MUSIC292.8322 robbies@brushycreek.org

David Kay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ASSOCIATE PASTOR234.9655 davidk@brushycreek.org

Jim Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RESCUE MINISTER270.8441 jimr@brushycreek.org

Angela Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .COLLEGE & MISSIONS325.3778 angelac@brushycreek.org

Benji Ladd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS414.1195 benjil@brushycreek.org

Jeremiah Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS915.3302 jeremiaho@brushycreek.org

Ben Langner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL297.6066 benl@brushycreek.org

Rebecca Oaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CHILDREN968.9826 oaksfamily5@charter.net

Eleanor Bishop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESCHOOL915.9669 eleanor0930@yahoo.com

Kristen Belflower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . THE GREENHOUSE268.8696 kristen@thebelflowers.com

Tina Stephens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WEEKDAY PRESCHOOL DIR.268.3945 brushycreekweekday@yahoo.com

Marshall Croy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FACILITIES MGR.322.5500 marshallc@brushycreek.org

EMERGENCY NUMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 918.0616

APPLicANTs FOR cHuRcH MEMbERsHiP

LETTERDan Messer · Ann Messer · Daniela Messer · Billy Quinn · Beth Quinn · Christin Quinn · Lawrence AllenEmmaleigh Allen · Jennifer Allen · Joshua Allen

STATEMENTJonathan Bear · Paige Bear

BAPTISMPete Stebbins · Autumn Uber · Bryson Reeves · Kenley Reeves

1st 8th 15th 22nd 29th AverAge SUNDay SChOOl 906 881 900 901 845 887 Worship Services 1156 1154 1240 1292 1187 1206

NOvEMbER 2009 ATTENdANcE

Non Profit OrganU.S. Postage

PAIDTaylors, S.C.Permit NO.14