march 2011 creekside newsletter

International Women’s Night

Friday, March 4

Come and hear the stories of women from different nations here in Greenville as they share what God is doing in their lives on this fun and inspiring night. Sample foods from different countries, support international missions, and learn how you can reach out to the international community around you. (Registration is required for this event.)

The MonThly newSleTTeR of BRuShy CReek BapTiST ChuRCh TayloRS | MaRCh 2011

www.BRuShyCReek.oRG

theCreekside Welcome Home to Brushy Creek

40 Days of CommunityBetter Than Ever Together

going on now through March 20

if you think our 40 days of community campaign is nearing the end...think again. it’s just beginning. for the past 40 days we’ve learned how Brushy Creek is better together when we reach out to those around us. now it’s time to keep on reaching and really meet the folks who cross your path every day. listen to their story and share some of yours. Before you know it, God’s story will come through in these new relationships. Remember, we are better together, and we’re at our best when we reach out into the community.

During 40 Days of Community, we have been wonDerfully ChallengeD to “get outsiDe of the Convent.” it may have been uncomfortable at first for some, but the blessings of having done so are becoming evident.

lesson learned: God is at work in the lives of all lost people. Some are receptive, and only need for someone to reach out to them in love. Some others are not recep-tive. well, not yet. and some who have been unreceptive in the past have now become receptive, due to recent life challenges.

we don’t know in whose life God may be at work. But as we do simple acts of service for others and invite a response, we begin to see.

So, now what? how can we continue to strategically reach out to our target neighborhoods for Christ?

well, now that you have already made some contacts, and have established that you want to do more to minister to others in the community, it’s a great time to begin an H2O: House to House Outreach study in your neighborhood contact’s home.

Just like your class followed up on Connection Card responses, you can follow up again with invitations to be part of an H2O study in a host home. we have a terrific DVD based curriculum that can be very easily used in a small group study for non-believing seekers.

you will be hearing more in the days to come about H2O: House to House Outreach. i sincerely hope that your Sunday School class will choose to continue to be stra-tegic in reaching out and in serving together. we are better together, you know.

This 40 days by Jim Russell | Rescue Minister

theCreekside | MARCH 2011

on Day nine, in the devotional guide we are using for 40

Days of Community, warren says, “we” is better than “Me.” i

believe he is absolutely right! There are very few things in life

that can’t be made better when shared by others. i rejoice better

when i rejoice with others. imagine getting a hole-in-one and

having no one there with whom you can share the moment.

Grief, without the comfort of others, typically turns into despon-

dency. a task, Tom Sawyer found, was made easier, when others

assist you. as Tom flannigan demonstrated last year during 40

Days of Community, synchronized swimming, well, it just isn’t

synchronized, when performed alone.

i hope you have enjoyed being involved in a small group during

this 40 day emphasis. Stay connected. if you haven’t gotten

plugged in yet, what’s keeping you from it?

stay Connected by Dr. Ralph Carter | Pastor


Senior Adults

we are better together aren’t we? i have loved interviewing people for the 40 Days of Community videos and hearing about all of the ways that Brushy Creekers are working together to touch the lives of those in our congregation and community. Sometimes you don’t even know that you are missing out on something until you have it. five years ago, on March 5, my niece, Scout Carter, was born. **happy Birthday, Sweet Girl** i didn’t realize the love and friendship that i was missing out on until i met her. i always thought being an aunt would be fun, but i didn’t know that it was something i needed in my life. now i’m not sure how i functioned for all of those years without her. if you haven’t joined a Sunday School class, because you don’t think you need it in your life, i challenge you just to try it. you just might find something you never knew you were looking for. Take the challenge and find out that we truly are BEttEr than EvEr togEthEr!

we are excited to announce that we are taking reservations for our Louisiana cajun tour September 25-october 1! we’ll travel to Memphis, Mississippi, and louisiana on this 7-day adventure. Call Rebecca at 864-244-5075 to make reservations and receive your itin-erary. a $100 deposit per person is required to secure your reservation.

Upcoming Tripsapril 15 orangeburg Rose Garden $5May 12 Strawberry hill and lunch at The Junction

Take the Challenge by Angela Carter | College Minister & Director of Missions

i want to mention something this month that really bothers me. i am really bothered by the number of people that tell me they believe that God created the world through the process of evolution. i would be scared to know how many people right here at Brushy Creek might believe something so incredibly scary. how can professing followers of Christ hold to this theory? Some have told me that the whole Biblical creation story just seems a little too far fetched to take literally. Really? you mean you can believe God entered humanity, went to the cross, died for our sins, and raised himself from the dead, but the whole Biblical creation story gives you heartburn? i don’t believe professing Christians who believe in evolution have actually thought through their arguments. for those who find the Biblical account of creation hard to swallow, let me give you two more pills that are even harder to swallow:

evolutionists theorize that the above two formulas can enable everything about us to make itself- with the exception of man-made things, such as automobiles or buildings. Complicated things, such as wooden boxes with nails in them require thought, intelligence, and careful workmanship. But everything else about us in nature (such as hummingbirds and the human eye) is declared to be the result of accidental mishaps, random confusion, and time. you will not even need raw materials to begin with. They make themselves too.1 i want you to really think about trying to mingle the theory of evolution with Christianity. if the Biblical account of creation isn’t accurate or literal, then how do we know if the gospel is accurate and literal? 1 Ferrell,Vance The Evolution Handbook p.17

Pill #1 (Evolutionary formula for making a universe):nothing + nothing = two elements + time = 92 natural elements + time = all physical laws and a completely structured universe of galaxies, systems, stars, planets, and moons orbiting in perfect balance and order

Pill #2 (Evolutionary formula for making life): dirt + water + time = living creatures

The Whole Body by David Kay | Associate Pastor

Merry Makers Monthly MeetingTUESday, MaRCH 1510:30 a.m.


looking for a plaCe for you anD your family Can go? wanting your family to do something for someone else? Then this year’s D-now is your answer! it is going to be like a Disciple now/Mission Trip/world Changers/pastor’s Camp all rolled into one great event!

Right now we are currently learning how we are “better together.” This D-now is going to allow us to show others just how we are better together. it’s called Dnow: 4 Days of Community Joanna. we will be coming alongside Christ Central Ministries in Joanna, South Carolina to help them reach the people of their community. So clear your calendar to be apart of this great opportunity to reach out and show others how we are better together. families come together! adult Sunday School classes come and get involved! There is plenty of work to be done and various ways you can help! The dates for the trip are april 19 - 22. Cost is $40. Registration is March 20 - april 3.

Mark Your Calendars! by Jeremiah Oliver | Middle School Pastor

exciting stuff This Year! by Benji Ladd | High School Pastor

paSSion foR pURiTy

what: Middle School D-now 2011when: March 25 - 27where: Camp Marietta cost: $45 per student (includes food, lodging, curriculum, transportation)registration: february 21 - March 7 ($45 due March 7)This year’s middle school D-now is going to be better than ever before! we are going to Camp Marietta for the entire weekend instead of going to host homes. This will give us more flexibility in small groups and will allow us to have more group activities. i am also excited to say that we will have “Vision” from liberty university coming to lead this weekend. This dynamic ministry team will lead youth rallies, small groups, and worship. The theme this year is “passion for purity” and we will have six lessons dealing with purity. The following is a breakdown of the curriculum we will be using during the weekend:

PurE - This discipleship material will help students understand the value of a life of purity, the conse-quences of moral impurity, accepting God’s love and forgiveness, and developing a deeper walk with him.

deals with:· how to become godly · establishing moral purity· Biblical guidelines for dating · how to begin a spiritual growth plan

Session titles1 pure passion2 Cost of Being im-pure3 pure Devotion4 pure heart5 pure Relationships6 pure Commitment

Middle schoolers, don’t delay, register today! This weekend is not only going to be a blast, it will potentially be life-changing for all who participate! you don’t want to miss it!

dON’TMiss

iT!


Mark Your Calendars by Rebecca Oaks | Director of Children’s Ministries

CREaTivE aRTS CaMpJune 13 - 16Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.For: kids completed 3rd - 6thCost: $25Director: Robbie Sox

Children will select two classes from a variety of fine arts activities: art, hip hop dance, drums, drama and guitar.Registration will begin online on March 15.

BaCkyaRd BiBlE ClUBS Coming to neighborhooDs near you!!June 6 - august 5we are better together when we reach out, alongside other Christians, to the lost in our community. The Backyard Bible Clubs are a wonderful mission opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with boys and girls in your neighborhood. we need hosts who are willing to open their homes for one week during the summer for 2-3 hours a day. as a host you decide the dates and times that are conve-nient for you and your team. we need volunteers to help with Bible lessons, crafts, recreation, snack and music. please volunteer today by contacting eleanor Bishop or Rebecca oaks.

Training Meeting will be held Sunday, April 10 at 4:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. A light snack will be provided. Childcare will be provided Please RSVP to Karen Cassell by April 3.

SpECial nEEdS MiniSTRyBrushy Creek is opening doors to help families affected by children with disabilities. we need volunteers to be a “buddy” for a special needs child and lovingly come alongside as they attend Sunday school, Children’s Church and awana.

please contact Rebecca oaks if you are willing to serve as a “buddy”.

SPECIAL NEEDS BaCkyaRd BiBlE ClUBJune 13 - 16Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.For: k5 - 5th gradeWhere: fellowship hallRegistration forms will be available with Karen Cassell at the church office on March 15.

who Toddlers - k5 :: what Continental breakfast, crafts, Resurrection story, easter egg huntwhen Saturday, april 23 at 9 a.m. :: where aRC

why we want to teach the importance of Christ’s Resurrection at a fun, family-centered event

Please sign your family up on the bulletin board posters and bring a friend.

sPeCiAL reMiNder FOr ALL PresCHOOL PAreNTs: Please sign your children in when you drop them off and write your tag number by their name on the sign-in sheet. This is a very important part of our security system, and how we will find you if we should need you.

Mark Your Calendars by Eleanor Bishop | Director of Preschool


Women’s Ministry events Coming Up

Come and hear the stories of women from different nations here in Greenville as they share what God is doinG in their lives on this fun and inspirinG niGht. sample foods from different Countries, support interna-tional missions, and learn how you Can reaCh out to the inter-national Community around you. dinner beGins at 6:30 pm. proGram beGins at 7:45 pm.

tiCKets are required for this event.

to you will the nations Come from the ends of the earth. Jeremiah 16:19

in just a few days...

When April 8-9, 2011 Where The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC Theme “The Joy of Serving our Christ: When Church Ladies Become God’s Girls” Speaker Martha Gillen with Worship Leader Dana Stout coST 4 per room-$150.00 and 2 per room-$165.00

The church van will provide transportation on a first-come-first-serve basis.

For more information please contact: Libby Massey at 864-292-1363 or [email protected] Shelly Maynard at 864-483-3241 or [email protected] Susan Bailey at 864-801-0393 or [email protected]

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Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

deacons’ meeTing7 p.m.

inTernaTional women’s nighTDinner at 6:30 p.m.program at 7:45 p.m.

merry makers10:30 a.m.

men’s Prayer BreakFasT 8 a.m.

men’s Prayer BreakFasT 8 a.m.

middle school d-now MaR 25-27



EveryWeeksUNdAYs

8:00 a.m. sunday school

*9:15 a.m. sunday school/ Traditional worship

*10:45 a.m. sunday school/ contemporary worship

MONdAYs

*6:00 p.m. celebrate recovery

6:00 p.m. life hurts god heals

*7:30 p.m. creekside orchestra Practice

WedNesdAYs

5:00 p.m. café at the creek

*6:45 p.m. The greenhouse

*8:10 p.m. creekside choir Practice

EveryMonthseNiOr AdULTs

MErry MakErS MEEtingtuesday, March 1510:30 a.m.

MeN’s MiNisTrY

MEn’S tEStiMony BrEakFaSt

Saturday, March 12 8 a.m.

2011 March

*childcare available

Pastorralph Carter864.238.0166 [email protected]

Associate Pastordavid kay864.234.9655 [email protected]

Rescue MinisterJim [email protected]

Music Ministerrobbie sox864.292.8322 [email protected]

College Minister and Director of MissionsAngela Carter864.325.3778 [email protected]

High School PastorBenji Ladd864.414.1195 [email protected]

Middle School PastorJeremiah Oliver864.915.3302 [email protected]

Director of Adult Sunday SchoolBen Langner864.297.6066 [email protected]

Director of Children’s Ministriesrebecca Oaks864.968.9826 [email protected]

Director of Preschooleleanor Bishop864.915.9669 [email protected]

Director of The Greenhousekristen Belflower864.268.8696 [email protected]

Director of Weekday PreschoolTina stephens864.268.3945 [email protected]

Facilities ManagerMarshall Croy864.322.5500 [email protected]

Church Office864.244.5075 [email protected]

Staff Directory

4999 Old spartanburg roadTaylors, south Carolina 29687

864.244.5075BrushyCreek.org

RETuRN SERvICE REquESTED

non profit organ

u.S. postage

paiD

Taylors, S.C.

permit no.14

2nd 9th 16th 23rd 30th avERagE

Sunday School 830 996 962 983 913 937

worship Services 1160 1452 1340 1290 1265 1301

Attendance in January 2011

LOOkiNG AHeAd...

APPLiCANTs FOr CHUrCH MeMBersHiP

CONGrATs!

march

march 4International Women’s Night

march 25-27middle School DNow

aprIl

april 8-9ladies Spring retreat

april 17Easter program

april 23preschool resurrection celebration

BY lETTEr

Chris ellenburgmuriel ellenburgChrista stewart

STaTEmENT

karla okala

to maTT aND ShaNNoN mcalISTEr on the bir th of their son, carTEr ISaIah, born January 15, 2011.

march 2011 creekside newsletter

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