Two Year
Ministry Plan

We are celebrating that over the past two weekends, 449 students, along with 258 leaders and volunteers, attended the Forge retreats at Carolina Point! These weekends were full of energy and a meaningful time of worship, teaching, and community for our high school students.

The FAKE retreat, for our 11th and 12th graders, explored the idea of exposing the fake gospels in their lives and fighting to find clarity, truth, and freedom in Jesus. The Mirrors retreat allowed our 9th and 10th graders time to learn how freedom from anxiety and being self-focused comes by removing yourself from the center of your life, putting God in the center, and focusing on loving others.

In addition to teaching, worship, and small groups, students were also able to have fun and explore the lake, ride go karts, participate in tournaments, and experience the OGO ball during their free time! We are so thankful for everyone who helped plan and served on these retreats. Join us in praying that God continues to work in the hearts of these students and that there is growth in their lives from the seeds that were planted on these retreats. To learn more about Grace Church Students, click below.

I know I can confidently expect the Lord to be who he is even when I can’t confidently expect much else in life.

When Louie and Johnna Gaunch were in their early thirties with three young children, Louie suffered a heart attack, underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and learned that he would deal with severe heart disease for the remainder of his life. It was a major turning point for their family. Louie and Johnna had been struggling in their marriage, and God used this event to reorient them to what was important. They renewed their vows, reexamined their lives, and were blessed with many more years together—raising their children and seeing them move into adulthood.

Louie and Johnna had lived in West Virginia their entire lives. However, when they became empty nesters, they decided it was time to move since their children were all living out of state. God moved in their hearts to explore the Upstate of South Carolina where their oldest daughter was living. She and her husband attended Grace and were expecting their first child at the time. When Louie and Johnna visited, they fell in love with the Anderson area. They visited Grace’s Anderson campus, made some connections with staff, and began their plans to move.

Everything fell into place—they found a lot to build on, Louie was interviewing for jobs, and they were in the process of packing their belongings. In the midst of all these moving parts, on September 27, 2021, Louie had a major heart attack and died almost immediately. The following days and weeks were a blur for Johnna as she grieved and tried to process what was happening. However, she was very quickly faced with a decision. And in her heart, Johnna knew that God was calling her to do the hard thing, leave behind all that was familiar, and move to Anderson by herself.

I had to lean on God for everything. It was beyond me. I’m not courageous, I’m not talkative, I’m not a solo sort of person—and I had to be all that. My husband’s favorite passage was Joshua 1:5-7, and God has taught me so much about what it means to be courageous. It’s been our family’s anthem through all of this.

Even though God was clearly working through Johnna’s move, it was still a difficult transition. She moved into an apartment while her house was being built, and because she worked from home, she was often alone for long periods of time. However, she found support and community at church.

I sat in the back corner of the worship center week after week, month after month, and cried through the service. But I never sat there alone. I’ve been embraced by the members of the Anderson campus. Some Sundays I couldn’t talk, but they didn’t care. They created a hedge of protection around me, and I knew people were praying for me even though I didn’t ask them to.

Over time, those connections have grown into friendships, mentoring relationships, and true community. Johnna went through an Ezer study and was embraced by the women in her group. Although they were in different seasons of life and dealing with different struggles, they were all trying to find their identity. This was a major part of Johnna’s growth as she had to relearn who she was without her husband. She also joined a community group, even though it was difficult to attend alone, and found people who were willing to be known and who wanted to know her.

It’s been a little over a year since Louie’s death, and Johnna is still processing, grieving, and walking with her children through their own grief. Even though the rest of her life won’t look like she planned, she knows God is calling her to keep loving her family and serving others. More than anything, she is thankful to know God and experience his presence so clearly through her suffering.

We’ve cried and we’ve laughed, it’s been great and it’s been terrible, and I knew those things could coexist, but it’s another thing to experience it. And when I was in the midst of grief, I experienced God. It wasn’t words on a page. It wasn’t theology. I experienced his presence more than anything else.

Senior Honor is our elder care ministry, and each campus partners with at least one assisted living community to host worship services and offer support on a regular basis. September 11-17 was National Assisted Living Week, and all our campuses were able to come alongside their Senior Honor partner communities and offer special encouragement.

Our Anderson campus had some especially fun treats for their partner community, Dominion Senior Living. On Monday and Tuesday, volunteers handed out journals, handwritten notes of encouragement, and candy to staff and residents. Another day, a volunteer helped facilitate Bingo and hand out prizes supplied by Grace. And on Thursday, volunteers hosted a carnival! Residents played games, enjoyed carnival themed treats, and especially enjoyed connecting with some of our younger volunteers. A catered lunch was provided on Friday to cap off the week.

One volunteer had this to say about serving during this special week:

The staff who I knew thanked us profusely with tears in their eyes. They said all the little things (signs, candy bars, handwritten notes, etc) and the big things (lunch, Bingo, snack cart) lifted morale and were such an encouragement all week long. You could tell walking into the nursing home that week that there was a joyful buzz about the place. It was definitely a joy for us to serve them!

What a great opportunity to serve our community and show the love of Jesus in this tangible way. If you would like to learn more about Senior Honor or volunteer opportunities, click below.

One of our serving partners is David’s Table, an organization whose mission is to demonstrate the love of Jesus to adults with disabilities and their families by creating community, connecting to resources, and making disciples.

Last month, David’s Table held their annual family camp! For two days, 275 people—campers, their families, and volunteers—came together to get away from the daily grind of life, draw closer to God, and connect with one another. Each camper had a buddy so parents and caregivers could have space to build community with each other. Campers heard teaching on the amazing story of God’s love, while parents and caregivers learned more about God’s all-sufficient grace. And of course there was also plenty of free time so families could participate in activities including go-karts, swimming, paddle boarding, arts and crafts, and more!

We are thankful to be a small part of supporting David’s Table, and we are excited to see how God will continue to use this ministry to bless individuals with special needs and their families. To learn more about David’s Table, click below.

When Paul and Drew Talbert moved to Greenville early in 2020, they were able to attend Grace’s Powdersville campus once before the pandemic set in and shut down in-person services. But even through those months when church looked a lot different, they knew God had brought them to the area for his purposes, and part of that was serving in the context of the local church. After joining in the fall, they immediately jumped into serving with Senior Honor—specifically because it was a ministry where they could involve their two boys, Anderson (9) and Whit (7).

Both Paul and Drew grew up in the context of a small church where everyone was expected to serve, so the idea of being involved through serving was ingrained in both of their hearts. They also have specific memories of serving alongside their parents—learning the importance of putting the needs of others before their own. So with a vision of discipling their own boys through firsthand experience, they took on the role of Senior Honor Champion with their campus partner facility, Oakview Park. In addition, Paul serves as a shadow for Mosaic, they all serve through Mosaic Respite Nights, and Paul and Drew both serve by leading worship monthly in re:generation.

Serving as a family has its challenges. Naturally, the boys often prefer pursuing their own interests. But this has provided great opportunities for Paul and Drew to talk with each other and their boys about why they serve.

It’s a rare Sunday that we’re all excited to serve. But rarely is serving meant to be a beautiful, happy experience for everyone. It’s meant to be hard. We struggle with the same feelings of not wanting to go sometimes, so we’re honest with them and talk about why we serve.

Even through the challenges, it’s been a blessing to see their boys grow a heart for others and understand that even as children, they have something valuable to offer. Paul and Drew have also experienced spiritual growth through serving. Paul shares that serving has taught him about the concept of “imago dei”—everyone is made in God’s image. Because of that, all are valuable and worthy of love; the world does not revolve around him.

Serving is a great way to think less about yourself. We have the example of Christ, and he laid down his life to serve others. As you serve, you can’t help but think—this is what my Savior did for me. I’m not thinking about paying him back; I just know this is the best way to grow.

Drew has learned the value of serving in obscurity. Because she grew up in a small church, her family’s role was much more visible. At Grace, she had to examine the “why” of her involvement. Did she serve because it was simply expected of her? Or because she truly wanted to serve God’s people?

I learned that I was there to serve God, not to be seen by others. He has called me to serve by faith, following Jesus’ example in Scripture, and there’s no automatic payoff for serving. It’s part of cultivating a heart for him.

In the two years the Talberts have been at Grace, serving has been the heartbeat of their spiritual growth and provided a valuable structure for discipling their children. While they know it is important to feed their own souls through teaching, worship, and personal study, Paul and Drew view serving as an integral part of their connection to the church. When asked what they would say to someone considering serving, Paul and Drew shared:

Be prayerfully dependent, but don’t wait for the magical moment to feel called or led. Just get involved—think about the season that you're in and commit. We’re called to serve. If you want to see growth in your life, it’s one of the main things you need to implement in order to flourish.

Last month, Grace en Español was able to host Shame: Finding Freedom—a conference exploring what shame is, identifying the experiences, thoughts, and feelings that cause shame, how it affects us in everyday life, and how to live in the freedom and comfort Christ holds out to us.

Over 180 women attended the conference—some traveling from Nicaragua, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic. We also had women leaders come from churches in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Atlanta as well as three different Hispanic churches in Greenville. Over 30 volunteers served by helping with hospitality, A/V, worship, parking, and security.

The goal of this conference was not only to teach women about shame, but to be a resource to equip other ministries and churches as well. After the conference, Grace staff and leaders hosted a lunch on Sunday to equip ministry leaders to start a shame study in their churches. We were able to share materials, digital resources, and guidance around helping women view shame through a biblical lens. As a result of this conference, we know that church leaders in Nicaragua are going through the material as well as women in a prison ministry in Colombia.

For our Español women, it was an impactful topic as shame is rarely studied or even mentioned in hispanic culture. As a result, 50 women are participating in the Shame: Finding Freedom study that launched 10 days after the conference. We also have a group of Forge girls going through this study.

What a blessing to see women from around the world come together and connect as sisters in Christ! We are thankful for all the leaders and volunteers who made this conference possible, and we pray that all who were impacted will continue to grow and experience life change. To learn more about our resources for women, click below.

This month, our Fusion and 24Seven students had the opportunity to get away for a day at Denver Downs and connect at our Fall Classic. This was a special time we carved out for students to fellowship with their small groups, sit under biblical teaching, worship together, and just have a good time. Over 600 students and 181 leaders attended, and it was a memorable time for all.

Our Fusion students (5th and 6th graders) heard teaching on Creation and the Fall, and our 24Seven students (7th and 8th graders) finished their series, Prodigal. And of course, they all enjoyed lots of fun activities at Denver Downs—a corn maze, giant slides, games, and more. We hope you will join us in praying for our students as they continue to grow this year. To learn more about Grace Students, click below.

Earlier this month, we were excited to host the very first NEXT retreat! NEXT is a ministry designed to engage college students in a way that tethers them to the local church and grows them as followers of Christ during a pivotal season of life.

The event took place at Pine Cove, and 120 students attended, along with 35 leaders and volunteers. Students heard teaching on the topics of fragility and resilience and how our obsessive focus on self leads to anxiety and/or arrogance. There was a lot for students to process, and they were thankful for their leaders and one another to be able to discuss these ideas in community and spend time in worship. And of course, they also had time for pickleball, socializing, playing games, and a dessert hour trivia challenge!

Many participants expressed their gratitude for biblical teaching on these topics. As they go back to a college environment where everyone is continually stressed or overwhelmed, our prayer is that they would continue to try and figure out what it looks like to follow Jesus as a college student. Will you join us in praying that they would find a sturdy hope outside of their circumstances and anchor themselves in the stability of God’s Word and the local church?

If you would like to learn more about NEXT, please email Dillon Carpenter at [email protected].

Last year, Grace formed a partnership in Israel with the Association of Baptist Churches in Nazareth. This group represents the largest single group of Evangelical Christians in Israel today with 18 churches and a community of 3,000 people, serving mainly among the Arab population in Israel.

In August, we were excited to send our first mission team to Israel to support ABC’s student ministry retreat. Our volunteer lead for Israel took six of our staff members on the trip, and they were able to serve at the retreat by planning games and icebreakers, washing dishes, cleaning, and in general helping keep things running smoothly. They also taught a breakout session on the idea of “go.” Student ministry is particularly important and challenging in Israel as young believers are a stark minority in the culture. We hope and pray that the young people who attended the retreat will continue to seek a relationship with Jesus and be a light to those around them.

Team members also taught at three different churches while they were there, led worship, and connected with church leaders. It was a sweet time to build relationships with pastors and leaders that are part of ABC, and our prayer is that we will continue to support believers in Israel through future mission trips, financial support, shared resources, and most importantly, our prayers. Will you join us in praying for this partnership?

To learn more about our partnership in Israel as well as other international partnerships, click below.

Did you know that we recently launched a podcast for our church body? When serving in ministry, we are often clear on the “what” behind the mission we are trying to accomplish and the "how" behind achieving our ministry objectives. Ironically, we can often forget the "why" behind the ministry we do.

The purpose of the Grace Church Members podcast is to discuss discipleship practices in the life of our church and help our congregation think about why we do the things we do. So far, episodes have covered topics such as baptism, singing, serving, and death/natural burial. These conversations have proven valuable for our members to engage with and reflect on.

In our most recent episode on death and natural burial, Matt Kelley had this to say:

Several years ago, we started a conversation about what it looks like to take care of people not just through life, but also through death and burial. We knew that we were trying to disciple people from birth until the grave, but once we got to the grave, we were not involved, and we felt like that was something we needed to explore. So we did a lot of research and honed in on something called natural burial.

The episode goes on to explain what natural burial is, its benefits, and why it is important for us as a church. This topic is just one of many that is helpful for us to reflect on and consider how we are being discipled and discipling others within our local congregations. Our hope is that this podcast challenges our members to be more fully devoted to God and his mission of making disciples.

To listen to this podcast and subscribe, click below. To learn more about natural burial, click here.

Grace currently has six serving partners—covenant members who serve full-time in missions and are actively involved at Grace Church.

One of these partners is Skeeter Powell, a member of the Pelham campus who founded David’s Table. David’s Table is a ministry that exists to demonstrate the love of Jesus to adults with disabilities and their families by creating community, connecting them to resources, and making disciples. Skeeter recently shared an update about the context and mission of David’s Table, how they are working to disciple those with disabilities in our community, and how we can pray for them. Click the video below to hear Skeeter’s story. To learn more about our serving partners at Grace, click below.

This month, we just wrapped up our 13th summer of partnership with local churches in Allendale County. It was our 6th summer of helping to run Camp Impact, a summer camp for local kids, and it was a season of hard work and fruitfulness as we saw God’s faithfulness in the lives of participants, volunteers, and staff members. Here are some highlights from the summer!

• 97 campers registered this summer, and approximately 50-60 kids attended camp each day.
• About 200 volunteers from Forge came to serve at Camp Impact—132 students and 68 leaders.
• Our Junior Staff (paid high school students who work at Camp Impact) took classes on topics such as nutrition, money management, conflict resolution, how to build a resume, and future career planning.
• Our Impact Student volunteers (teens who have aged out of camp but volunteer their time) were able to participate in some of these classes as well as Bible studies.
• This summer, we had our first graduating senior finish the Junior Staff program. She was previously a camper and she has been volunteering and working at Camp Impact for the last several years.
• Six college students worked as Camp Staff, working and living in Allendale county over the summer. Some of them had this to say about their experience:

"Camp Impact was meaningful to me because I got to better understand the Lord’s heart for all people and watch the church work together to care for others." -Emma Scott, Assistant Director

"I think camp was meaningful to me this summer because I was able to see the Lord’s faithfulness and protection in a whole new light. I was not only learning how to trust God but growing in my trust in him! Everyday at camp was a new opportunity for me to put into action what I was learning." -Kacky Haswell, Activities & Junior Staff Counselor

It has been such a blessing to see our partnerships in Allendale County grow and flourish, and we are privileged to be part of discipling these young people to follow Jesus. Will you join us in celebrating everything God has done this summer, both in Allendale County and in the hearts of our students and volunteers? To learn about the history of our partnership in Allendale, click below.

May 4 began like any other day for Seth and Hannah Williams, members at our Greer campus. They both went about their days as usual until Hannah received a call from her sister-in-law. A mother with newborn twins was looking for an adoptive couple, and through a series of unlikely connections, the Williams’ name and contact information was shared with her. Hannah was stopped in her tracks. While she and Seth had been struggling to conceive for over a year, they had not considered adoption to be in their immediate future. They were beginning to pursue fertility treatments, and had decided that they would think about adoption down the road.

However, as soon as Hannah called Seth, they both immediately knew God wanted them to say yes to this possibility. So within a matter of hours, they left work, packed a few things, and drove to Gastonia, North Carolina to meet this mother and her twin boys. Their family scrambled to find carseats, clothing, diapers, and other necessities to send with them. As they drove, they simply prayed, wept, and gave the matter to the Lord. They knew that they might come home with the twins, and they might not. But they were certain God had called them to make this trip and meet this woman.

When they arrived, they had an instant connection with the woman who had called them. Hannah especially was able to comfort her as she swung between emotions of joy in finding a family she trusted with her boys and intense grief, knowing that the best decision she could make for them was to give them up for adoption. It was a day filled with tension, joy, and sadness as they navigated caring for this sweet woman and preparing their hearts to bring the boys home.

“It was so emotional, but it was humbling to know that God put us there to see her deep hurt and love her through it.”

Meanwhile, as Seth and Hannah wrapped their minds around becoming parents in such a short window of time, their church family was working to get things ready for their return. One of Hannah’s friends from Grace created a spreadsheet outlining anything and everything they could possibly need and shared it with their church community. And more than anything, Seth and Hannah could feel the supportive prayers of their church family as they dealt with the emotions and all the practical details they had to work through in order to bring the boys home.

After a whirlwind 24 hours, on May 5, Seth and Hannah arrived at their home with Myles Samuel and James Brian, who were just three days old. A nursery had been set up, and church members were bringing meals regularly. In those early days, all they had to deal with was loving their boys and figuring out what it looked like for them to be parents.

As they adjusted to their new family and looked back over the past few years, Seth and Hannah realized how God had prepared them for this huge life change. After selling their home, they had moved in with Hannah’s parents for a season. It was a very difficult time for them when a lot of things didn’t make sense, but God was teaching them that his way is best.

“We were in limbo for nine months. Those trials prepared us for getting the boys. We had to learn that everything around us can shake and move and feels unsteady, but we can lean on the Lord. We had to understand that reality before we could properly take care of and serve these boys. We started re|engage in our parents' basement in despair, and we ended with a home and with two children. All this happened in 16 weeks.”

Through this season, both Seth and Hannah had struggled with giving control over to God. But over time, they learned that his way is best and they can trust him even when they don’t understand. And now, as they embark on the journey of parenting two sweet, red-headed boys, they carry these truths with them—God is good, and he is in control.

The summer has been spent cleaning, painting, renovating, and getting apartments ready for residents. We are beyond thankful for every individual who has donated or showed up and helped with this effort, and we wanted to give you an update on how things are going at Front Porch Housing.

Who is living at FPH?

• 229 total residents
• 11 missional residents
• 41 World Relief residents (from Syria, Uganda, Congo, and Afghanistan)
• 57 supportive residents
• 120 students

What else is new?

• We have hired our Housing Director, Brian Burgess; Property Manager, Victoria Patino; and our Facilities Manager, Tim Brady to support the property and residents. We have also added to our Care Coordinator team with the additions of Markis Allen and Sharon Wegner. We are excited to have 18 people total on staff at Front Porch!

How can I support FPH?

• Supporting residents through the Amazon Wish List provides new linens, mattresses, and pillows along with other household items that communicate dignity and belonging.
• You can also make a monetary contribution through Grace Church's online giving platform.
• If you're interesting in serving at Front Porch Housing, click here to fill out an interest form.

Above all, we covet your prayers as we continue supporting our residents. To learn more about Front Porch Housing, click below.

Mosaic is our ministry for children, students, and adults with disabilities, and we are so thankful for our staff and volunteers who serve these individuals and their families. Last month, we were excited to host a Mosaic Family Festival for all our individuals in Mosaic and their families. It was great to see 120 participants enjoying the festival as 100 volunteers loved and served them.

Families got to watch a movie and enjoy snacks, make various crafts and balloon animals, play outdoor games, pet snakes and miniature goats, and much more. Above all, it was a sweet time for families with children, students, or adults who have special needs or disabilities to relax, connect with one another, and have fun—knowing their loved ones were being cared for and welcomed by Mosaic volunteers.

What a blessing to see biblical community lived out in this way! If you are interested in learning more about Mosaic or volunteering with this ministry, click below.

Beginning in February, 2022, 95 young professionals began participating in ViewPoint Leadership Year—a 26-session experience for young men and women to help them be effective leaders at work, church, and in the community and to help them consistently apply biblical principles to every area of their work and life. Throughout the year, 28 mentors are walking alongside these young people as they learn operational best practices and seek to apply them to their work.

Being a young believer new to the workforce can be challenging. Many of our participants voiced their difficulty in viewing work through a gospel lens, living an integrated life, and finding practical ways to express the gospel in a professional context.

We are thankful to be able to provide a biblical framework for grappling with these challenges as well as practical tools to help participants be even more effective in their work. Many participants have expressed that the most useful facet of the experience is the relationships they have developed and the time they get to spend processing ideas and current challenges in a group context.

A few participants had this to say about their experience:

I learned how to live out my faith in the workplace by more than just my words. The way I treat people, the way I act, and the things that I do and do not do are all ways that I should live out God’s transformation in me.

I have learned that biblical community and Christian perspective is really important in my work. Even as an entrepreneur with no coworkers and no employees, I have the opportunity every day to represent Christ in some way.

Another cohort of participants will begin ViewPoint Leadership Year in 2023. Will you join us in prayer for the next generation of leaders? To learn more about the program, click below.

We’re all familiar with the value of mission trips, and we often think of traveling to international destinations and serving people from a different culture. However, there is also a need for showing the love of the gospel right here in our community. Over the course of three weeks this summer, over 80 Forge students gave of their time and energy to serve with several of our local partners here in the Upstate.

Mission Upstate was born out of our partnership with Griggs Church, located in Poe Mill. In the mornings, students did service projects for several partners of Griggs Church, and in the afternoons, they ran a camp for neighborhood kids in the Poe Mill and San Souci neighborhoods.

Service partners and projects:

• Calvary First Baptist Church—students helped with their Manna Ministry, providing food for homeless or others in need.
• Salvation Army—students washed vans.
• Rebuild Upstate—one of our teams replaced the siding on a house in Poe Mill.
• The Way Outreach Center—students supported this ministry that invites the homeless to come inside, sit, read, take a shower, etc.
• Poe Mill Achievement Center—team members did yard work and played with kids in their summer program.
• Front Porch Housing—students painted doors.
• Students also did yard work and helped build a playset for a family at our Taylors campus.

While the work these students accomplished was meaningful and helpful in tangible ways, the work that God did in their hearts is key in their discipleship. Many students saw for the first time that people in our community live with significant needs, and it impacted them. In fact, some students have coordinated times to go back to serve at Manna Ministry because they realized they can make a difference right here in Greenville.

Please pray that this work would continue—both in the community and in the hearts of our students. To learn more about Grace Students, click below.

While many of us prefer not to think about it, the process of aging is part of life. And part of stewardship for the believer is thinking and planning strategically so we can honor God and support our families as we navigate the aging process.

Legacy is a ministry that focuses on planning, caring, and finishing well. The goal is to equip our members to think biblically about topics like aging, spiritual and financial stewardship, caring for elderly parents, and investing in the next generation of believers. This summer, Legacy offered Aging Well, a class that addressed several of these topics: leaving a spiritual legacy, stewarding our bodies, stewarding our resources, stewarding for the future, and practical planning. Fifty of our members participated, and they were blessed to hear from different speakers and be equipped with helpful resources.

We are thankful to be able to engage these topics with hope and not fear in the context of biblical community. If you are interested in learning more about Legacy and future classes, please contact Julia Eldred at [email protected].